


You're the Only One

by SPNWinchester1982 (FandomFicWriter82)



Series: The Story of Us [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: 11th Grade, 16 Years Old, 17 years old, Alpha Castiel/Omega Dean Winchester, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Arguments, Car Sex, Castiel Romances Dean, Castiel and Dean Winchester Have a Profound Bond, Castiel and Dean Winchester Use Their Words, Castiel and Dean Winchester in Love, Cliffhangers, Consensual Underage Sex, Cute Castiel/Dean Winchester, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Falling In Love, First Crush, First Kiss, First Love, First Time, First Time Blow Jobs, Fluff and Smut, Horny Castiel (Supernatural), Horny Dean Winchester, Horny Teenagers, Junior year, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Romantic Fluff, Romantic Friendship, Romantic Soulmates, Sex in a Car, Shifters, Smut, Teen Angst, Teenage Castiel/Teenage Dean Winchester, Teenage Dorks, Teenage Drama, Teenagers, True Love, Underage Drinking, Underage Sex, Will end on a cliffhanger, Wolves, make out sessions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-25
Updated: 2019-10-09
Packaged: 2020-06-02 18:20:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 15
Words: 53,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19446991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomFicWriter82/pseuds/SPNWinchester1982
Summary: John Winchester has really messed up this time and not even his own father can bail him out of this one. He lost a lot of money in a poker game with Zachariah Novak's oldest sons, Michael and Raphael. Now, they want their money and John doesn't have it and he doesn't have the guts to admit to Mary this time that he screwed up again.John proposes a deal between them and their father, Zachariah. He'll offer up his Omega son, Dean to one of his Alpha sons and they forget about the whole debt. Michael says he'll mate with the omega.Knowing his brother and his views, Castiel immediately volunteered, using the family secret as an incentive. Will the two of them come together how their families want or will they have a relationship of convenience?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story takes place during the 2018/2019 School Year

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I found a better way to write this story. The drama from the original 2 chapters will still happen, just later.

**-December 5, 2018...**  
  
In Eden, Kansas there was separation and not the usual high societal separations. Or even Alpha, Beta or Omega. Eden took it even further and separated into Shifters and Non-shifters. Shifters were individuals who could transform into where their secondary genders originated from wolves. While Non-Shifters were people who didn't have the shifting gene but still had one of the 3 secondary genders. Castiel Novak sometimes hated this town for the division.

Although, he probably hated the division not only because they were a town and they should care about everyone, but because he himself had a secret. Or as his family put it 'an embarrassment' to hide from the entire town. While everyone publicly lived amongst each other, in truth, the Shifters were exiled to a compound called Arcadia. It's named after the pack that is housed there.

He was a shifter. He had broken the generational momentum of Novaks not being shifters and was born with the ability. Not that his family saw it that way. His family has always sawShifters as disgraceful beings who were barbaric and more traditional than they were. If he believed the rumors within the community the Arcadia pack were more barbaric and lived like they used to live in the 'olden' days of shifters. He didn't believe the stories about Arcadia. The other citizens in town tried to say that they were a traditional Alpha ruling pack who abused their omegas in horrible ways. Although, he knew of a few of Arcadia's Omegas and they didn't seem to be abused by the clinical description of abused Omega.

He heard laughter coming from down the hall and looked to his right. Standing at his locker was the most beautiful Omega that Castiel had ever seen in his life. Dean Winchester. He'd been in love with the guy ever since he could remember and it had only deepened when he manifested as Alpha and Dean as Omega. Not that he'd ever verbalize this to anyone Just as the entire town pretended that the Shifters didn't exist, Dean didn't know he existed he was sure of it. An Omega that beautiful probably had many suitors despite that the green-eyed Omega was a Shifter. Alphas he knew would never pass up an opportunity to be with an Omega like Dean.

Dean was perfect. It didn't matter that to him the Omega was going to be tall or that he was muscular like an Alpha. To him, the Omega was perfect and wonderful. Not that he expected anything to come of it because he didn't. Of course, if his friends heard his thoughts right now they'd never let him live it down because they were a part of two different 'species' as they say and it wasn't 'right' to be together. He watched as Dean playfully slapped his best friend, a pretty redhead who was kind of a chatterbox and Castiel thought she was adorable. Dean adored her.

_No Omega is going to want an embarrassment for an Alpha._

His mother's words crushed his heart and his eyes dropped away from the Omega and his group of pack-mates. It'd be wishful thinking on his end to think that someone like Dean would want him anyway, even if they were the same...sort of. While Cas hid his ability, the Arcadia Pack embraced theirs. They celebrated being Shifters. It wasn't embarrassing or even disgraceful. To them being so close to the ancestors everyone descended from was an honor.

His mother was probably right. Dean wouldn't want him. Who'd want an Alpha who really didn't have any experience with being an Alpha? Knowing his luck, the gorgeous Omega was probably with someone now who was amazing and wonderful like he was. Castiel would probably end up being in a mating arrangement...after being forced to take the reverse serum he was threatened with every time he shifted. The reverse serum was a chemical that forced the shifter gene to go back to dormant so he can't shift anymore.

He sighed and shut his locker, the movement making his back twinge in pain again, but it didn't hurt as much as his unrequited heart did.

* * *

Dean Winchester walked into 6th period Life Skills with Ms. Bloome. Today they were going to be paired up into 'couples' and be 'mated' for a project that would extend until the end of the year. He knew that Ms. Bloome would pair them off by their designation and he prayed he didn't get one of the idiotic Alphas that liked to throw jabs at him or tried to pick him up with degrading comments. He just hoped for the next 6 months he wouldn't have to dodge an Alpha's advances.

His breath hitched a little when he saw Castiel walk into the room. The teenager was incredibly handsome with black hair and watery blue eyes. Dean's heart hammered in his chest. Castiel Novak had always been the sexiest Alpha he had ever seen in his life. He also seemed to be the saddest and broken Alpha too. His inner Omega wanted to pamper and build him up. He had a feeling the reason for his insecurities had to do with the bruises on him that he saw.

Dean saw the smile on his lips and his heart literally thudded in his chest. He almost sighed. He couldn't remember a time he didn't have feelings for the guy, but with the town's enforced segregation they'd never be together. It's moments like now that he hated the fact that he was a shifter. He released a long mournful sigh. It's not like they could have been anything more than what they are now...classmates.

A few minutes later, the final bell rang and Ms. Bloome stood up and went to the front of the class. “As you all know today we'll be pairing off in “mated” pairs and starting the 'Future Life' projects. Will the Omegas in the class, please stand?”

Without any protests, the omegas in the class stood and waited. Ms. Bloome smiled. “Thank you. Now, Alphas, please stand.”

Again, without protest, they stood too. She smiled. “Thank you. Now, I will call the first name of an Alpha and the first name of an Omega. Alphas, please come to the Omegas when you get paired up.” She looked at her list of pairs. “Charlie and Jo,” as she requested, Jo walked to Charlie and sat down. “Benny and Andrea.” Benny came to her. The lists continued.

Dean's heart thudded hard in his chest when he heard Ms. Bloome call out, “Dean and Castiel.” He couldn't believe it! His dream Alpha was paired up with him...then the dread of that thought hit him hard. His dream Alpha was 'his' Alpha for the project. It wasn't news to anyone that usually when you were paired up in Life Skills and started the 'Future Life' project, usually the relationship carried into real life.

Castiel sat next to him and Dean smiled at him. “Hey, Cas.”

“Hello, Dean.”

The scent of pumpkin and cinnamon hit him and Dean went instantly hard as his slick began to pool. Sonofabitch. As always the Alpha aroused him by just his scent and his voice. He exhaled softly. Castiel must have heard it because he asked, “Are you going to be okay with the arrangement? If not I can ask for a different partner.”

Dean shook his head. “No, please, it's okay.” He sighed. “I know we don't know much about each other, except what we've learned about each other since preschool, but I trust you on a few levels. I trust you won't think of me as just a stupid Omega and the other is you won't hit on me.”

Castiel nodded. “Okay.” He wouldn't even know how to hit on the Omega. The sad part of his little secret is that no one taught him to court an Omega. He wouldn't even know where to start with it.

* * *

The Novak Family's Cadillac Escalade parked in the non-shifters parking of The Lighthouse. The restaurant was the fanciest place in Eden and just like everything else in town it was separated with non-shifter and shifter parking, dining and reservations. Personally, Cas hated it. It was a nice restaurant, yes, but he hated that being non-shifters they were basically paraded in front of the shifters before being taken upstairs to the upscale dining area that was on the 2nd floor. Castiel wasn't in the mood to be paraded around to show off his 'perfection' to the shifters.

He waited until his older brothers were out of the back of the SUV before stepping out himself. He straightened his suit and walked in behind the rest of his family into the restaurant. He looked up at the yellow building that was designed to look like a lighthouse with a home added to it. They were too inland to have it actually be a formerly real working lighthouse. They stopped at the hostess podium and the hostess took them to the upstairs dining area. As he knew she took them through the shifters' dining room before going upstairs. His heart hammered hard in his chest when he saw Dean sitting at an 8 person table with his family. He stumbled to a halt as the Omega smiled at whatever the elderly man at the table was talking about. He felt his cock swell and his knot inflated about halfway. He exhaled. As always the beautiful Omega gave him the same physical reaction.  
  
Dean picked up his goblet of water and his green eyes met a pair of azure eyes that had his inner omega howling. His heart thudded hard in his chest at the sight of him in the black suit and the royal blue shirt. His stomach fluttered, his breath came out in soft pants, he felt lightheaded and his slick began to pour from him like a geyser. He gasped softly at his body's reaction to the Alpha. He jerkily stood and rushed into the Omega bathroom.   
  
Cas watched the Omega stand up and rushed in the direction of the bathrooms. He sighed and walked upstairs to the dining area.  
  
John, Henry, and Samuel, Mary's father looked at Millie, Deanna, and Mary curiously. She sipped her water again and stood. "Will he be okay, Mary?" Samuel asked.  
  
"He'll be fine, dad." She excused herself and walked into the Omega bathroom. She was immediately greeted by the scent of warmed honey which told her exactly what she had figured had happened. "Dean?"  
  
Dean took a breath and says, "What the heck is going on?" He looked up when he saw his mom and said, "Mom, this has never...I don't react to Alphas this way, what...wha...?"  
  
Mary laughed softly and walked to her son. "You might not like this answer, but you're reacting that way, because not only do YOU like the guy, but it would seem that your Omega likes him and his Alpha too."  
  
Dean shot him a disbelieving look. "Right."  
  
"Come on, Dean. I've always told you that your Alpha or Omega will always know who you're meant to be with. Seems to me that your Omega is telling you."  
  
He rolled his eyes and replied, "No, mom, my Omega wants to jump his Alpha's ass." Not worrying about being in trouble with the rest of what he was saying. If it was his dad he'd worry. "And ride him into oblivion."  
  
Mary laughed. Dean's phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out of his pocket, reading the message: **[From Cas/8: 20 pm]: Are you all right, Dean?**  
  
Dean chuckled. "Speak of the devil."   
  
She smiled. "You gonna be okay?"  
  
He nodded. "Yeah, I'll be fine." He waited for his mom to leave before he texted Cas back.

  


**[To Cas/8:24pm]: I'm fine, Alpha. I have to admit you look hot in blue.**  
  
**[From Cas/8:26pm]: Thank you, Dean. I like you in green. So, it wasn't because of me?** **  
  
****[To Cas/8:27pm]: Oh, it was because of you, just not the way you're thinking.** **  
  
****[From Cas/8:29pm]: What do you mean?** **  
  
****[To Cas/8:30pm]: Think about it, Blue Eyes. You're an Alpha. A very hot, blue eyed Alpha and I'm an Omega. What do you think happened?**

**[To Dean/8:33pm]: I didn’t think that would happen with you.**

**[To Cas/8:35pm]: It happens all the time when you’re near me….**

**[To Dean/8:36pm]: Okay, if you were trying to make me blush you succeeded. I have to go. I’m getting the death stare.**

**[To Cas/8:37pm]: Talk to you tonight?**

**[To Dean/8:38pm]: Absolutely. Gotta go.**

  
  
About a half an hour into the dinner and Castiel was feeling antsy and anxious. He had no idea what was going on with him, but ever since he saw Dean get up and walk out of his dining room, he had started feeling anxious. Which is why he texted Dean to see if he was okay. He thought checking in with him would have been enough, but if this antsy anxious feeling was any indication then it wasn't going to be. He exhaled and looked at everyone. "Excuse me."

"Where are you going?" Naomi demanded.

"To the restroom, Mother," he told her. He picked up his napkin from his lap and put it beside his plate of half-eaten tenderloin and mushroom sauce.

Zachariah rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he sipped his wine. "That boy. I don't know what's been going on with him lately."

Bartholomew Milton looked at his family at this table and shook his head. He wiped his mouth and put the napkin beside his plate. "Instead of chastising him why don't you just go find out and ask him." He stood as Zachariah stood. "Sit down, Zachariah. Stop pretending as you care."

"Bart--"

"No. Ever since his condition became known with this family you've been treating him horribly. He's your youngest son. Your baby and all you can do is turn your nose up at him because your genes interacted and made him a shifter!"

"Daddy! Keep your voice down!" Naomi admonished.

"No! One, you won't speak to me like that, Naomi Rebecca. And two, we all have the damn genes inside of us. Even you or your brothers could have been shifters. It all depends on the way your genes interact."

He walked away and headed for the Alpha bathrooms. He walked into the bathroom and greeted with the scent of wet dog. "Castiel?"

The young teenager sighed and began pacing. "Grandpa, please, not now."

"Why are you feeling anxious, Cassie?"

He shrugged as he continued to pace. "I have no idea. It started half an hour ago, Grandpa." He stopped and leaned against the counter. "There's always been this guy...who's an Omega now...that I've always felt like I needed...." God, he sounded like a knothead with just the thought of it. "Never mind."

"No. You need someone to talk to about all this. Since your parents aren't being your parents, use me, Castiel."

He looked up and sighed. "I've always liked him. Heck, you could say I'm in love with him."

"You are?"

He nodded. "But as much as I want to be with him I can't."

"Because...?"

"He's a shifter," he admitted. "Dean Winchester."

Bartholomew smiled. "I know the Winchesters. Henry and I have been old friends for years."

Castiel's hand slipped off the counter in his shock. "You're friends with a shifter?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Henry and I grew up together. Despite the fact that he was exiled to Arcadia—which by the way is an amazing place--he's one of my best friends."

  


Somewhere in the restaurant, John's cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and clicked the message that awaited him.

**[To John/8:50pm]: Poker Game, 10pm. Meet at the usual place--M.**


	2. Chapter 2

Castiel got home that night and changed into his pajamas. As he sat on the bed and finished up a paper he had to write for English, his mind drifted to the beautiful Omega that was just a video call away. He did say call. Well, he said he was going to call, but would he look desperate if he was to call first? The more he warred over the thought of it the more he worried he was acting desperate.

He sighed and flopped back on the pillows. The door to his room opened and he looked at the intruder. It was Gabriel. “What’s up?” he asked as he watched his older brother shut the door.

“I was coming to ask if you were planning on shifting tonight?”

He shook his head. “Last week’s beating still hurts, Gabe.”

He smiled, relieved. “Good.” He sat on the bed and tapped his legs. “I hate to see them kicking your ass like that, Cas.”

“I know.”

“So, why do you do it?”

“Well, for two reasons,” he answered. “One, I feel free. I don’t feel restricted in my wolf form as I do like this, in this house and at school. And two, sometimes I have to. Sometimes he has to come out.” He sighed. “It’s a little hard to explain if you don’t experience it, sorry.”

He shook his head. “No, it’s okay. I think I understand.” He sighed. “I just wish that mom and dad would understand.”

He scoffed. “Right. The day that they understand why I shift will be the day that God strikes us all dead.”

Gabriel laughed. “Right. So...Dean Winchester, you finally got paired up on a project, huh?”

He nodded. “And don’t even ask,” he replied put an arm over his eyes. “My private life is officially dead.”

“Why?”

“Because no Omega’s gonna want me.”

“You don’t know that,” Gabriel countered. “Come on, Bro. What about Dean?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. He’s been flirting with me openly since we got paired up, but I don’t know if that’s just what he does or...”

“Or if he actually likes you.”

He nodded to the affirmative. Gabriel smiled. “There’s only one way to find out, Alpha.” He picked up Castiel’s phone when it began a digital ringtone to tell him he had video call coming in. He smiled and tossed the phone at his brother. “Nice timing. It’s your Omega.”

“He’s not mine!” Castiel called after him. He answered, “Hello, Dean.”

“Hey, Cas. How was the rest of your night?”

He shrugged. “It was alright, I guess.”

Dean heard the sad tone and looked into his eyes. “Alpha, what’s wrong?”

Feeling his wolf beckoning for him to obey he answered, “Nothing really. Excluding three people, I hate my family.” He exhaled and answered with a true answer.

When he finished Dean had no idea what to say, except, “I’m sorry.”

Castiel smiled. “Thank you. I appreciate it. How about you give me a tour.”

“A tour?

“Of the Compound,” he said with a smile. “I’ve been wanting to see since we were kids and you told me you lived there.”

“So, why didn’t you ask to come over?” Dean asked getting off his bed. “I’ll give you a tour of my room first then the main house that I live in.”

“Cool,” Cas smiled. “I did ask once when we were in second grade and you invited me to your birthday party. My parents said no and to never ask again because the answer would be the same.”

Dean nodded in acknowledgment. “Our friendship was never the same after that.”

He shook his head slowly. “No.”

Hearing the sadness in his voice, Dean changed the subject to try and make him feel happy again. “Okay, well, here’s my bed.” He panned over to a large king-size bed that had a masculine comforter on it and a few pillows. Dean smiled into the camera.

“It’s a little big for just you, isn’t it?”

He shrugged. “Well, I’m hoping when I do get mated, whomever that is will want to live here with my family, so after I presented I talked to my mom and we agreed that a bigger bed was in order.” He smirked into the camera. “Besides, I have a feeling I’m a mover.”

Cas felt his stomach flip at the innuendo that Dean threw out. His cock hardened too and he almost groaned. “How do you know that?”

“Just by the way I act during my Heats.”

Cas laughed. “You can’t tell that.”

“Sure you can,” he said matter-of-factly. “Here’s my large closet that is too big for just me too.”

Cas’ smile widened when he heard the teasing tone in the Omega’s voice. “Would you want to share the closet?”

“With my mate, yes.” He exhaled softly. “When I find a mate I want to share everything with him...or her. I want my relationship to not be traditional. There aren’t any roles in it, except the ones that our secondary genders put on us, like me being able to get pregnant.”

As Cas listened he got a flash of imagery of Dean large with child and everything inside of him, even his wolf went crazy with the image. “That sounds like a plan.”

He nodded. They continued the tour of the bedroom, he saw a sitting area where there was a large TV that Dean told him was for movie nights he had with Sam, Charlie, Jo, Benny, and a few others. He opened the door to his bathroom and panned throughout. “Here’s my very large bathtub.”

“Let me guess, for watersports?”

Dean laughed again. “You’re catching on, Alpha.” He heard the small growl coming from the teenager and smiled. “Do you like me calling you that?”

“Yes,” he answered, blushing fiercely.

Dean smirked as his slick gushed a little at the sexy blush that went across his cheeks. “That’s good to know.” He continued the tour and went outside with Cas and showed him all the outer buildings. He stopped at a small cottage looking building and said, “This is the mating cottage. After every mating ceremony, the couple comes here and they spend a week doing whatever couples do.”

Cas smiled. “You know what couples do in there, Dean.”

“I do,” he said softly, his voice dropping an octave. “Do you ever wonder what it’d be like?”

“What?”

“Being with one person for your entire life. Knowing that there would always be someone there for you, to catch you and to build something with.” He looked into the camera. “I’m not just talking kids and a family, even though that would be amazing, I mean the couples stuff. That’s what I can’t wait for. I know the babies will come when they’re supposed to, but I hope I find my mate soon because we have a lot of catching up to do.”

Joy burst from the teenage Alpha when he realized what Dean was trying to say. He was trying to be subtle about it, but it was there. In fear of embarrassing the Omega and having him stop, he kept the conversation on what was going on, but not before he said, “I’m sure he’s closer than you think, Dean.” He smiled. "If you were to have a mate stay there with you what position would your Alpha hold and what position would you hold?"

"Well, my grandfather is the High Alpha, so unless he skips over my father, there really wouldn't be anything we'd have to do, job wise. However, my Alpha would get an automatic position on the Council. I have a position and so does my grandmother. The Council makes all the decisions within the compound and the pack. My grandfather and the Council decide whether to accept a potential mate." He exhaled. "My mate would have to be accepted by them."

"Is it difficult?"

He shook his head. "No. Basically, my grandfather wants to make sure that the Alpha or Omega have the right intentions."

"That's cool."

Dean smiled. "I've been reading over the questions that Ms. Bloome has put for the first part of the project, wanna answer?"

"Sure," he said. "If you do?"

He laughed. "Okay. I'm going back inside. It's too damn cold out here. I'm freezing my nuts off."

"Can't have that happen."

Dean laughed again. He went into his room and shut the door, wrapping himself in his blanket. He pulled his notebook and the packet up next to him. "Okay. So...why did we get mated? We can't answer you got me pregnant, financial reasons, loneliness or any of that kind of thing."

Cas paused and thought about his answer, "I wanted to mate with you because..." he sighed "Oh. I wanted to mate with you because I don't remember a time I didn't have feelings for you. I can't imagine my life without you in it."

Dean's heart fluttered. His mouth fell open in surprise. He wasn't expecting that kind of answer. "Oh, um..." He sighed. "How am I supposed to compete with that answer." He smiled.

Cas exhaled. "What do we, as a couple, want out of life?" Cas said, "I would have to refer to you for that because I don't know how life would be at the compound."

And Dean said, "Well, I don't know if we could live on the compound with you not being a wolf."

And Cas pauses, "What if I told you I was a wolf?"

"If you were one then there wouldn't be a problem. However, Cas you're not--"

"I am."

Dean halts the sentence. "Wha...wha...what? How...?"

Cas smiled softly. "The same way as you." He exhaled. "You now know my family's deep dark secret. The youngest Novak is a shifter."

Dean's just staring at him in surprise. After a long pause, Castiel asked, "Did I lose you, Omega?"

"Uh...no," he said softly. "I was just thinking...why would they want to keep it such a secret?"

"Because they find it to be disgraceful," he told him. "I'm the blemish on the family. However--"

"You're not a blemish, Cas."

He smiled. "Thank you, Dean. Although, I did find out something that my mother didn't even bother to mention."

"What?"

"My grandmother, Hester and several other close family members are wolves." He sighed. "So, I'm not so unusual, especially if my grandmother is one."

Dean smiled. "Of course not. So, let me guess what color you are."

"Okay," he said smiling.

"Black with bright blue eyes."

Castiel smiled, blushing a little. "You're correct." He sighed. "However, I can't shift."

"Why not?"

He didn't answer right away. When he did he said, "Because I get in trouble when I do. My family doesn't want any of the townspeople to know that there's a shifter in the family."

"That sucks, especially with shifters. Shifting is supposed to help us bond with our inner wolves. Among other things."

He nodded. "I know.” He cleared his throat. “There is one thing that I’ve been wondering though.”

“What’s that?”

“Do you think it’s true, the rumor that if a couple mates in wolf form--”

“They’ll be bonded deeper and longer than a couple who doesn’t?”

He nodded. “Do you think it’s true?”

He thought about it for a moment and then answered, “I hadn’t really thought about it, partly because some people find mating in wolf form to be weird, but according to my grandparents it’s very much a thing. According to my grandfather mating as humans and wolves bonds you on two levels. It makes your connection stronger, your sex more intense, you’re emotions immensely more intense than just a human couple who mates.”

“Would you want to do something like that?”

He nodded. “Yeah. I always have. I don’t want there to be anything that we don’t share.” He looked at the blue-eyed guy. “What about you?”

“At first, when I first started shifting I didn’t think I’d want to, but now I think that’s something I would want very much.”

Dean saw the sadness come over him in seconds. “Alpha...”

Cas pulled his eyes up and sighed. “I’m gonna hate that you can do that.”

He laughed. “Until then, talk to me. What’s wrong?”

“I told everyone we got paired up for this project tonight at dinner and my father almost had a coronary. He told me to basically not fall in love with you because he knows--thanks to Michael--the history with this project. He doesn't want a wolf in the family." He sighed. "I think that's when grandpa Bart and Grandma Hester figured out that mom never told him about grandma."

Dean sighed, his heartbreaking. He was kinda hoping that the luck of the project would rub off on them, more now than ever. “Well, if the project’s usual results happen there’s not much they could do, Cas.”

“What do you mean?”

“We have something on them now,” he told him.

“What do you mean?”

He looked at the Alpha and realized he really didn’t have any knowledge of the wolf laws in the state and the country. “Your family is breaking the law, Cas.”

“How?”

“By suppressing a Shifter to do what feels natural isn’t allowed.” He saw the adorable tilt that Cas’ head made when he was confused. He smiled. “We’re sacred to this state and the country. I’d say a little under half of the population are shifters and because there are smaller numbers of us then of regular people the country has deemed us valuable and sacred.”

His jaw fell open. “No way!”

He nodded. “Yes, way.” He sighed. “However, we’ll have to be sneaky.”

“Why?”

“The only way that the laws can work for you, Cas is if we register you.”

“We?”

He nodded. “Now that I’m in this I’m not climbing out until we find the end.”

Cas smiled. “Thank you, Dean.”

“Don’t mention it.” He sighed. “Now how...”

“The age of consent, where you’re considered an adult is seventeen.” He looked into Dean’s eyes. “I turned seventeen in August, remember?”

The Omega’s eyes dance with excitement. “That’s right! This could work for us then.”

“Would you come with me when I do register?”

Dean smiled. “Where else would I be, Alpha?”

Cas smiled. He looked at the clock on the nightstand. “I gotta get this paper done for English so I’m gonna have to call it a night, Omega.”

“Okay, Cas. Do you think it’d be okay to have lunch tomorrow?”

Cas’ smile widened. “I’d love to have lunch with you.”

“Okay, good. See you tomorrow. Bye, Alpha.”

“Bye, Dean.”

Dean ended the call and plugged the phone into the charger. He stretched out, turned out the light and laid back into the pillows. After trying to sleep for about half an hour, Dean entered the kitchen and was surprised to see his grandfather up having a nightcap. "Grandpa, I thought you went upstairs to go to bed?"

"I couldn't sleep," he replied, after swallowing the liquor in the glass. "What are you doing up, Little One?"

He smiled. His grandfather had been calling him that since he was a baby. “I just finished talking to Castiel.”

“How is he?” Henry asked, the news not bothering him.

“He’s good.”

“That’s good. So, what’s got you so worried?”

“They’re not nice to him, Grandpa.” He prayed that he wasn’t breaking the Alpha’s trust. “He’s a shifter.”

“I know.”

“But no one’s—you knew?”

He nodded. He chuckled when he saw the shocked looked. “Dean, you two used to shift and play around in the yard like puppies.” He looked at his grandson. “Don’t you remember?”

He thought back to when they were kids. Then the memory hit him and he looked up at his grandpa. “Oh, holy...” he sighed. “I had forgotten about that.”

Henry laughed. “Yeah. Let me guess Zachariah and Naomi have forbidden him from shifting?”

Dean nodded. “They’ve been keeping it from everyone.”

“Doesn’t surprise me.” He scratched his arm. “With Hester being a shifter and the non-shifters have the gene it was only inevitable that at least one of their kids would get the ability.”  
  
“I was thinking...how can we help him?”

“What do you mean? Like registering him without Zachariah and Naomi finding out?”

He nodded. “Is there a way?”

“There is,” he said. “How old is Castiel?”

“Seventeen. He turned seventeen in August.”

He nodded. “Then he can do it himself.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “Yeah. The age of consent is seventeen. Which means in the eyes of the law he’s an adult. He can do whatever he wants...within reason.”

“Oh, that’s cool!” He smiled. “I’ll have to tell Cas that tomorrow at school.”

Henry smiled. “You like him.”

“What?”

He chuckled. “Relax, it’s not that obvious unless someone knows you.”

He sighed. “True. Guilty or whatever.” He sighed and put his head on the counter. “Is it wrong that I hope that the curse of the Life Skills project rubs off on us?”

“No,” he answered. “But from what Bart tells me and what you just said there won’t be much either of you will have to do.”

Dean chuckled. “Shut up, grandpa.” He tapped the counter as the older man laughed. “I’m going to bed.”

“Okay. Goodnight, Little One.”

“Goodnight, Grandpa.” He went upstairs and shot a text to Cas asking to talk to him before class and then he went to bed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sexy Destiel moments in this chapter. Along with a conversation with Cas and his grandparents.

Castiel went to school the next day in a better mood than he had been in a very long time. He walked to his locker and opened it. He looked at the preschool picture he had of he and Dean when their friendship started.

“So, I thought you were going to call me last night.”

He turned and smiled apologetically at his friends. “Sorry about that. I went out to dinner with my family and afterward didn’t feel up to socializing.” He turned back to his locker and tossed his books inside. He grabbed his US History book, his binder. “What did you guys do last night?”

“Homework,” Hannah muttered. She turned her head and seen Dean Winchester heading for them. “What does that mutt want?

Castiel turned his head to see Dean approaching them. He shot Hannah a glare and growled. “Don’t you _ever_ call him that again!”

“Hey, Cas.”

“Cas?” Hannah and Meg said in unison.

Ignoring his so-called friends he smiled at the man in front of him. “Hello, Dean.” He sniffed the air subtlety and just as Dean had said he smelt arousal coming off of him. He felt his inner Alpha attempting to scratch to the surface to claim him himself.

“Uh...” Dean looked beside him to see Cas’ British exchange student friend, Balthazar approach them too. “I made you something.” God, he felt so stupid now with all these people around. He felt 3 pairs of eyes boring into him and he wished he knew some way to shrink and disappear. _I knew this was stupid._

 _ **But you’re here now**_ , another voice told him. _**You mind as well just get it over with and die after.**_

So, he powered through. “It’s not much and if you don’t like it’s cool, but here.”

He looked down at the small square box and looked at the Omega. “Thank you, Dean. That was very thoughtful of you.”

He shrugged. “I’ve gotta get going, um...Charlie wanted to talk to me before class.” He quickly turned on his heel before he made an even bigger fool of himself and walked away. He was berating himself when heard Hannah ask Cas, "You gonna eat that?"

"Thought you didn't like chocolate,” Meg said bitterly.

(This is the card that was taped to the inside of the lid.)

Dean’s heart smashed into a million pieces right then. He remembered when they were kids that Cas was a chocoholic. He couldn’t get enough of it, so when did he suddenly start hating the stuff? Or was it because a Shifter gave it to him?

Did he misread Cas’ scents in class yesterday? Feeling like a complete idiot, Dean went to his locker and grabbed his History book and headed for the bathroom. He didn’t even bother to greet his friends as they called out to him. He walked into the Omega bathrooms and went to one of the private stalls and locked himself inside. He slid down the door and put his head in his book, which sat on his knees.

Seconds later he heard the door open and sniffed, quickly wiping a few tears away. “Dean?” he heard Charlie call out.

“Charlie, please, I don’t want a peppy pep talk right now, okay?”

“Okay,” she said and slid down the wall across from where Dean was in the stall. “Will you talk to me about it?”

He didn’t say anything so she took that as a go-ahead. “What happened?”

“What happened is that I made an absolute and utter fool of myself, Charles. I got up early this morning and everything.” He sighed. “I don’t even know why I did it. It’s just that I felt...I felt this need to do it because it would have made him happy.” He scoffed.

The room fell silent and after a few minutes Charlie said, “Dean, does this have anything to do with that cupcake you brought to school?”

“Yeah,” he said his voice cracking as the embarrassment swept over him again. He exhaled. “I had realized last night that despite the fact that our friendship was never the same after second grade that I never forgot his birthday, not until this year anyway.”

She knew who he was talking about because she’d known Cas for about a year when he and Dean stopped being friends. “Okay. What happened?”

“I baked him a chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting like he’s always liked.”

“Okay...”

“And as I was walking away, because I felt like an idiot, and I needed to run, I heard Meg and Hannah talking. Hannah asks if he was going to eat and Meg said, ‘I thought you didn’t like chocolate.”

Charlie exhaled. “Oh, Dean...”

He opened the door and came out of the stall. “Well, I’m not doing it again. I’m not embarrassing myself again.”

* * *

By 6th Period Cas was beginning to think that he was losing his best friend all over again. He’d tried talking to him in the class that they’d shared up until this point, but Dean would either give ‘I’m fine’, ‘it’s fine’ or say nothing at all and it was beginning to really piss him off. He walked into the room and took his seat next to Dean, who was reading a book. He sat down expecting to be engaged in a conversation, however that didn’t happen. So he tried, “Hello, Dean.”

“Cas,” he said coldly and went back to his book.

He scented the air and smelled dulled nutmeg and burnt vanilla. He looked at the Omega. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he said snappishly.

Ms. Bloome came into the room and immediately started the class. As they sat there and listened to the Beta Life Skills teacher Cas this time only smelled a dulled combination of vanilla and nutmeg. When Ms. Bloome left them to work on their packet questions, he leaned closer. “Dean, what’s wrong?”

“I’m fine!” he hissed.

He sighed. “Dean, please don’t lie to me. I know something’s wrong, so please talk to me.”

“Fine!” he snapped, keeping his voice. “You really wanna know, I’ll tell you. My feelings are hurt, okay? I got up early this morning to make you that damn cupcake as a way to say ‘hey, sorry I forgot your birthday’ kinda thing and come to find out you don’t eat chocolate.”

Cas sighed, his heart hurting that Meg and Hannah’s actions hurt him. “I’m so sorry. I don't hate chocolate. Meg was just trying to hurt you because you're a Shifter."

"Well, your friends suck." He sighed. "I've never done anything to either Meg or Hannah. I don't appreciate being hurt or disrespected like that. I was trying to do something nice for you,” he said softly.

“I know you were and I appreciate it immensely.” Deciding to test the waters, the Alpha reached over and took Dean’s hand and kissed his knuckles. “I loved the cupcake. I really did.”

Dean’s heart fluttered in his chest and he felt the slick start. His inner Omega loving the affection and the compliment. He gently pulled his hand free and said, “Yeah, well, don’t expect one next year. Silly, Alpha.”

Cas saw the teasing smile on his lips and smiled. “Okay, but that’s too bad. I was hoping that next year we could share it.” He leaned forward and whispered in Dean’s ear, “You know, 2 forks, lots of chocolate...”

The slick slid down his thighs and he let out a soft whimper. With that same whimper, Dean said to the Alpha, “I hate you.”

He smirked and whispered, “Oh, yeah, I can tell.”

* * *

After school that afternoon, Castiel walked to his locker and opened it.

“So, Me, Hannah, Balt, Uriel and a bunch of others are going to the mall. Wanna come?”

“Not particularly,” he bristled.

“Why not?” She asked trying to meet his gaze.

Castiel met her eyes, but there was a coldness there. “Because I’m not entirely sure I want to hang out with people who would do what you did to Dean.”

She laughed bitterly. “Right, because you care about him.”

“I do,” Castiel told her.

She rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on! Is this about that stupid cupcake?”

“That stupid cupcake was better than the gift you gave me for my birthday, Meg.”

“I didn’t get you...”

He watched as her eyes dropped to the floor guiltily. “Exactly my point.” He exhaled. “No, Meg, I’m not going to the mall with you.” He looked her in the eyes. “Go away.”

She scoffed. “Pfft. Whatever.” She looked over to see Dean walking down the hall. “Stop thinking with your knot, Stupid. He’s a shifter. You have no chance in hell and besides your parents would kill you.” With that, she walked away.

Not letting her bother him he watched the Omega. Dean walked to his locker and opened it.Dean shoved the books he’d need for homework into his backpack and closed his locker. He looked over at him and gave him a sexy wink. “See you later, Alpha,” he said softly so that only Castiel heard him.

Castiel watched him walk away and sighed. He grabbed his bag and shut his locker. He walked out after him. All-day long he’d been wanting to do one thing and he knew now was the moment or he’d chicken out later. He quickly ran down the stairs and jogged into the parking lot. He watched Dean as he walked to the large van. He continued to jog and stopped, “Dean!”

Dean turned and Castiel stopped next to the van looking at him. “Are you okay, Alpha?”

He nodded with a sigh. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to do since I saw you in the restaurant.”

“Oh, yeah, what’s that?”

“This,” he said softly and walked to him. He quickly cupped his hands at Dean’s neck and took his mouth instantly.

Dean moaned in surprise, but his desire for the blue-eyed Alpha took over and he was kissing him back in seconds. It was the perfect first kiss. Needy, passionate, but soft. As they kissed, their tongues tangled and their nibbled at each other’s lips, something seemed to have snapped inside of Castiel and it was like a wild force had taken hold. Their mouths thrashed and ravished at each other.

Dean groaned as he was pushed into the side of the van more as the Alpha continued to ravish his mouth in a way he had only read about in books. He felt Cas’ groin press into his and he moaned, pulling him closer. In that moment his Omega broke free and he began returning the passion of the kiss with abandon. He groaned into the Alpha’s mouth, taking the kiss even deeper if that was possible.

Their tongues conquered as their mouths ravished at each other. Cas had no idea what was going on. He’d never experienced anything like this before. He had never felt this needy, this desperate. In this moment they had become nothing more than hunger, need, love. They both surrendered to whatever emotion was waving through them both.

In the blind haze, he found himself in, he hadn’t realized he was hurting him until Dean moaned painfully. The painful moan broke him out of the haze of passion that stole over him and he quickly backed away. He took a couple of breaths. “I’m so, so, so sorry, Dean.” He sighed. “God, I have no idea what came over me. I’m sorry I gotta go.” He picked up his bag and scurried off, the scent of anguish trailing behind him.

Dean sighed before saying anything. He turned toward the parking lot. “C-C-C-Cas, it’s okay,” he exclaimed. He slapped the side of the van and swore, “Damn it.”

“Dean--”

“Get in the van,” he snapped out, trying to get his breaths normal again.

Benny and Jo both smiled mischievously. “Looks like you’ve been eaten alive, Brotha,” Benny drawled.

“Yep,” Jo said, her lips popping on the ‘P’. “Thoroughly so.”

He growled and looked at all of them. “Shut it and get in the damn van.”

* * *

Castiel had no idea how he ended up at his grandparents’ house, but here he was sitting outside their small cottage home trying to figure out how in the world he could have had done what he did. He hurt Dean. He hurt him. He caused the guy he loved pain. He ran his hands over his face and sighed. He turned the car off and got out of the vehicle. He walked up the walk and stepped onto the porch. He knocked on the door.

Hester, an older woman in her late 60s opened the door and smiled when she seen her grandson. “Castiel! Baby!” She hugged him happily. “Bart, Castiel’s here,” she said pulling him into the house.

Bart walked out of the kitchen wiping his hands off. He smiled. He was probably doing dishes or something. What he had told Dean about being partners in their pretend mating was because of these 2. They’ve been partners for almost 50 years and if Castiel had to hazard a guess what had brought them through the rough patches and the bumps in their marriage was their friendship. Bart and Hester were the best of friends, each other’s confidants. Their marriage was exactly what he wanted and he wanted it with Dean. Not that they’d get there now.

“Castiel, what do we owe the pleasure?” he asked, ignoring the smell of burning pumpkin and cinnamon.

“I messed up...big time,” Castiel said as he fell into the recliner that Bart loved to relax in when the housework was done.

“What do you mean you messed up?” Hester asked.

“I...I...I hurt Dean,” he murmured.

Hester and Bart exchanged a look. Bart sat in the upholstered chair Hester liked to read in and tapped his grandson’s leg. “Start at the beginning.”

He sighed and he started at the beginning, which for him was when they got partnered up for the project. When he finished the project story, he added, “That’s when we rekindled our friendship again. However, that’s when Dean openly began flirting with me and...” his eyes lifted to his grandparents. He knew if his parents were here they’d be horrified by how open he was with his mother’s parents. “...he’s attracted. I smelt it on him the moment I sat down.” He sighed. “And my wolf wants him... _ **badly**_.”

“So, what’s the problem?” Hester asked, not even flinching by the openness of her grandson.

He continued telling the story of what happened that morning with the cupcake, what Meg and Hannah had said and that Dean’s feelings had been hurt. “I apologized and we started flirting...again. Then came after school. Meg came up to me and told me that a bunch of people were going to the mall to people watch and asked if I wanted to join. I simply told her no. I was still upset and angry by the way they had insulted Dean’s cupcake.” He sighed. “Dean said goodbye to me and gave me a flirty wink before going out.”

He took a deep breath and continued, “I got a crazy thought and knew if I didn’t act on it I’d never do it. So, I ran out after him. Catching up to him at the van that he uses to drive him and others from the Compound to school. I called out to him and he stopped.” He exhaled. “I kissed him.”

Bart smiled softly and Hester’s smile was a little wider with joy. “Oh, Cassie, Sweetheart, that’s great!”

“Baby, that’s not why he’s here,” Bart told her and looked at Cas. “Continue, please.”

“It was an amazing kiss. Probably if you were to top 10 the kiss it’d be in the top 5. It was the best I’ve...” his words died, “...but then something happened.”

“What, Sweetheart?”

“Something snapped in me and I practically took him there in the parking lot.” He pushed himself up and began to pace. “I...I...” he ran his hands through his perpetually mussed hair. “I manhandled him. I...hurt him.” He leaned on the couch and hung his head. “How could I have hurt him?”

Hester looked at her husband and their eyes met. She knew what was going on. “Baby, Omegas are a lot stronger. If what I think happened actually happened then Dean nor his Omega minded at all.”

“How can you say that?!” he exclaimed. “I hurt him.”

She laughed softly. “Baby, you’re such a sweetheart and I know it pains you to think that you did hurt him, but trust me when I tell you he can handle being manhandled a little.” She reached out to him. “In fact, I’d hazard to say he probably enjoyed.”

“Enjoyed it?” he asked. “Why would he enjoy it?”

“Because that shows him your strength and authority.” She shook her head when he tried to argue that Dean would have never. “Just trust me. If you go and talk to him he’d probably tell you that it was okay, that he trusts you.” She smiled. “Baby, that’s bound to happen.”

“Me manhandling--”

“No. Your wolves breaking free and taking over when you’re trying to be intimate. Trust me, it’s happened with me when your grandfather and I have been intimate.” She smiled. “As much as this is probably going to scare you, with you two both being wolves it’s going to happen more. Probably when you’re in rut or he’s in heat, but trust me, Sweetheart, your wolf would never hurt his mate.” Her smile softened. “And from what you described it sounds like your wolves are in control or want to be so that they can be together.”

He exhaled slowly. “How am I supposed to face him now? I heard the intake of breath. I remember that. It’s his ‘I won’t tell you you hurt me’ gesture.”

“The same way you always have,” Bart replied. “Castiel, you’re making this more difficult than it has to be. I understand that you’re upset that you hurt him, but I’d bet that he’s probably beating himself up more than you are because that’s what Omegas do.” He sighed. “As much as your grandmother hates it when I remind anyone of this, Omegas are conditioned from way back when to please their Alphas. It’s what motivates them, what makes them happy. It’s at the heart of who they are.” He kissed his wife’s lips. “And that’s one of the many things I love about your grandmother.” He faced Castiel. “However, if you want to get anywhere with your Omega I’d suggest you go to Arcadia and ask to speak to Dean and actually talk to him.”

“Can I just ask that? Aren’t there like armed guards or something?”

Hester and Bart laughed. “No!” Bart exclaimed. “Arcadia is a sanctuary, not a prison. It’s got stone and cement walls but you have to get to the end of their land to seem them. Yes, there’s an entry gate that is locked by a security system, but other than that it’s basically like their own little town. They have a main house, a small clinic, a security building. It’s got a--”

“Reception hall, a Council apex, a mating cabin and bunches of residences.” He smiled. “Dean gave me a video call tour after our dinner at the Lighthouse.”

He smiled. “Right. Just pull up to the gate and ask to enter so that you can talk to Dean.”

He nodded. He exhaled. He pulled his phone from his pocket and shot Dean a text: **[To Dean/4:15pm]: Do you hate me?**

A few moments passed before there was another text. **[From Dean/4:18pm]: No. Did I do something wrong?**

Cas’ heart stuttered and shattered at the words on the screen. “Damn it.”

“What’s wrong?”

“He thinks he did something wrong,” he murmured. “I gotta go talk to him.”

Bart nodded. “Good.” He smiled. “Remember, be you. Be your wonderful, gentle sweet self. Don’t try to be ‘Alpha’ as your father says. Dean likes you because you’re you, not because you’re your brothers.”

He nodded and put the phone back in his pocket. “Thanks for the advice and the ear,” he said with a smile. He hugged his grandmother and told her he’d call her with an update when he got back from the sanctuary. He hugged his grandfather. He sighed. “You two have always been there for me ever since I learned I could shift. Where mom and dad wasn’t you guys were and you have no idea how much I appreciate it.”

Hester smiled and stroked his cheek. “It’s been our pleasure.” She kissed his nose like she did when he was a kid. “You’re my baby just as much as your mom and uncles.” She hugged him. “We’ll always be here.”

He knew that wasn’t entirely true, but wolves and their mates—whether they were human or shifters—lived longer than the average life span. So, he knew he had a while before he had to mourn the only 2 people who loved him like his parents should have.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Up: Cas steps foot in Arcadia and falls in love. There will also be Destiel moments


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cas goes to Arcadia to talk to Dean. He takes one more step in getting registered as a shifter and getting away from the abuse.
> 
> With the registration, comes the question of what to do about the budding relationship of Cas and Dean? Their decision will have repercussions for John later...as some of you may remember.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italicized words when they're shifted are spoken telepathically.

Castiel pulled his expensive sedan onto the one-lane road that led to the entrance of Arcadia. He sighed as he pulled through the snow-covered, tree-line road and stopped at the large metal gate that had a decorative cheerful sign on it that was split down the middle so the gate could open.

He pressed the button on his door and the window rolled down. He pressed button that was labeled ‘Call’ and waited. He jerked slightly when he heard the harsh rough tone of Dean’s Godfather crackle through the speaker.

“Yeah?”

“Hi, Mr. Singer, it’s, um, Castiel Novak. I’m here to see Dean, please.”

There was a few second wait and then the gate buzzed open. He pulled his car through the gate entrance and stopped when he saw Rufus, an old friend of Bobby’s walk up to his car. “Mr. Turner?”

“It’s Rufus, boy.”

“Sorry,” murmured. “Is everything okay?”

He nodded. “Yes, however, you’ll have to park your car over here. We don’t allow vehicles beyond this point.”

He nodded. “Yes, sir.” He pulled the car into a parking space that he was directed into and got out. He pulled his messenger bag from the passenger seat and pocked his keys. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” one of the security people said. “Dean’s at the main house,” he told him and instructed him on how to get there.

Castiel thanked him again and started walking. He pulled his cell phone out and shot Dean a text.

Inside the main house, Dean tasted the liquid on the spoon that was held out to him. He wrinkled his nose at the bitter taste. He looked at Lisa and shook his head. “No.”

“What did I miss this time?” she snapped out.

“Well, one, if you’re going to learn to cook from me you drop the attitude,” he told her and snatched up his phone when it buzzed on the counter. His frown flipped into a soft smile.

**[From Cas]: I hope you’re still speaking to me. I’m here, in Arcadia. I’m heading up to your place if you wanna talk. If not I can go…?**

He pocketed his phone and rushed out of the room. He buzzed past his mom and grandmother. “Sorry!”

Mary looked at Lisa. “What was that?”

She shrugged. “Don’t know. He got something on his phone and was out.”

Millie smiled. “Told you,” she murmured.

“Told you what?” Lisa asked.

Mary smiled. “Millie suspects that Dean’s being courted.”

Lisa laughed, but the laugh died almost instantly. “Seriously?”

The older woman nodded. “Very. It’ll be nice for him.”

Dean snatched up his jacket and rushed out the door. He looked to the right and saw Cas coming up the lane. He threw his jacket on and jogged toward him. Cas picked up his pace and met Dean halfway. “You’re going to freeze,” Cas told him softly.

“So, what did you want to talk about?”

“Um...what happened today, for one.” He shoved his hands into his pockets and walked with him.

“Which time?” Dean asked.

“At your van, Dean,” he clarified. “The kiss.”

Dean’s stomach flipped with butterflies. “What about it, Alpha? If you’re not interested then--”

Cas stopped him and turned him to face him. “I never said I wasn’t interested.”

He sighed. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No, Dean,” he said softly. “You didn’t do anything wrong.” He sighed. “I was rough. I manhandled...I don’t know what came over me.” He looked into his eyes. “You have to know that’s the last thing I ever want to do.”

Dean chuckled, smiling. “I wouldn’t worry about it, Alpha. It’s nothing I couldn’t handle.” He faced him and placed his hands at the lapel of Cas’ tan trenchcoat. He lifted his eyes just below his eyelashes as he whispered, “In fact, if you wanted to do it again, I wouldn’t mind.”

Cas shook his head. “No, Dean, I...I couldn’t. I hurt you.”

“Not really,” Dean admitted. He showed him his wrists and his waist. “No bruises.” He took him by the lapels of his coat and pulled him into him. “It’s hot as Hell when you lose control, Alpha,” he moved himself until his back was against a lamp pole. He looked into his eyes and whispered, “Kiss me.”

Unable to resist, Cas captured his mouth with his. The Omega moaned and pushed his jacket away so that he could pull Cas closer and touch him. They tongues tangled, their lips fused and their fingers caressed underneath each other’s jackets.

This time Dean pulled back before it got too out of hand. He pressed his forehead to his and sighed, panting. “Alpha...”

“I know,” Cas said heavily. He sighed. “Dean...” the name breathed out when he seen a spot covered with snow. A flash of a memory of him and Dean playing as puppies in the snow flashed in his mind. “Oh, my God...”

“What?” Dean asked looking around.

He walked toward it. “I remember this spot,” he murmured. “We played here.”

Dean smiled when the memory popped into his mind. “We did.”

He smiled fondly at the memory. “You bit me.”

Dean laughed. “No, I didn’t.”

The blue eyed Alpha raised a brow. “But you did,” he whispered and pulled up his sleeve, where the faint indent of teeth was in Cas’ arm.

Dean took his arm and inspected the faint scar. “Huh,” he mused. “Imagine that. I tried to claim you at the age of five.”

Cas gave him a flirty smirk and said, “Well, if you were trying to do that I think you missed the mark, Omega.” He started down the plowed lane.

Dean chuckled and caught up to him. He wrapped his arms around Cas’ waist, felt him flinch, but thought he’d mention it later. He whispered into his neck, “I guess I’ll have to try again.” He placed an opened mouth kiss to Cas’ mating gland and felt Cas almost literally go weak.

Cas whimpered, “Dean...”

He licked the spot, scraping his top teeth on the spot and smiled when Cas tightened his grip. _I’ll have to remember that for later._

“Dean.”

Keeping a hand on Cas’ belly, he turned to see Garth standing behind them. Cas looked him over. He was lanky and average height as he said, “High Alpha needs to speak to you.”

“Okay,” he said. “Thanks, Garth.” He turned his face into the curve of Cas’ neck, taking in his scent. “You smell amazing.”

“You too,” Cas whispered. He sighed.

“Stay for dinner?” he asked.

“I would love to, Dean.” He smiled when Dean placed a kiss on his shoulder and started walking away. He took his hand. “Did I miss a protocol or something?”

He shook his head. “No.” He kissed him. “Promise.” He walked with him to the main house and they took their shoes off. He took his hand and walked him into the kitchen. “Grandma.”

“Hey, Sweetheart,” she said smiling. Her eyes dropped to Castiel’s. “Nice to see you again, Castiel.”

“Thanks, Mrs. Winchester--”

“What have I told you about the Mrs. Winchester crap?”

He smirked, remembering. “Sorry, Millie.” He saw Lisa at the stove. “Hello, Lisa.”

“Castiel,” she said roughly. She looked at Millie, then Mary. “I thought we didn’t allow non-shifters here.”

Millie turned to Lisa, eyes blazing. “High Alpha has always told Castiel he’s welcomed any time, Lisa.” She turned to Dean. “Your grandfather is in the library.”

He nodded. “I’ll be back.”

“Okay,” Cas said softly. He looked at Mary as she was chopping an herb. “Whatcha makin’?”

“Um...mashed potatoes.” She looked at the beautiful Alpha. “You still like meat right?”

He nodded. “Absolutely.” He picked up one of the herbal strands and chewed on it.

Mary laughed. “Good to know, even if you’ve gotten taller and prettier, you haven’t changed whatsoever.”

“Depends on your definition, Mary.” He sighed. “I’d hate to ask but do you have anything warm to drink?”

“Oh!” Millie exclaimed and rushed to do what she was supposed to with a guest.

“No, Millie, I got it. Do you still keep teas and stuff in the same spot?”

Mary nodded. “Yeah. Do you remember?”

Castiel nodded. “I think so.” He closed his eyes and pictured the kitchen when he was younger. He walked to the microwave and pulled a drawer. He smiled when he found teas and cocoas neatly organized.

The Winchester Women laughed. “Good job, Cas!” Millie exclaimed happily.

“I like this color better,” he said complimenting the light blue-gray of the kitchen walls now. “It’s definitely better than the sunshine yellow.”

Dean walked into the library and smiled at his grandfather and his dad. “Hi. You wanted to see me?”

John gave him a firm glance. “What’s Castiel doing--”

“John, that’s not what I was going to ask him,” Henry told his son. “Besides, like Bart and Hester, Castiel is welcomed here. If you remember he’s one of us.” He looked at his grandson. “Do you remember that conversation we had the other night?”

He nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

“Well, I got something for your Alpha to--”

“He’s not my Alpha, Grandpa.”

Henry smirked. “From what I saw outside, Dean, he’s your Alpha.” He smiled when he seen Dean blush.

“You weren’t supposed to see that.”

He laughed. “I’ve told you if you want to keep secrets, Little One, don’t do them where the entire pack can see you.”

He laughed. “Right.” He took the page Henry slid across the large library table. “What is this?”

“Wolf registration form,” he told him. “If he fills it out now and we send in a copy of everything he should be registered and Zachariah and Naomi won’t be any the wiser.”

“If he’s registered and they are abusing him does that mean that the human law system takes care of them or the wolf council?”

“Um...the Wolf Council will do it.”

He nodded. “Good, because I think he’s being abused.”

John looked at his son. “How can you tell?”

He looked from his dad to his grandfather and back again. He looked at Henry. He shook his head, “No, it’s okay--”

“Dean,” Henry said softly. He came around the large table. He sat down on the edge of it. “Tell me. I can’t help unless I know all of the details, Little One.”

He sighed. “I wrapped my arms around him and he flinched. The only reason why Cas--”

“Maybe he didn’t want you--”

“John!” Henry snapped. “Stop it. Castiel and Dean have been circling and sniffing around each other for years. Leave them alone and stop the militant crap with your children. They’re boys. Sam’s allowed to be a boy, just like Dean. Just because Dean can have babies shouldn’t degrade him as nothing more than a breeder to you. I raised you better than that. Stop being so hard on him.” He looked at Dean. “Continue.”

He exhaled. “He flinched when my arms grazed his sides where his ribs are, Grandpa.”

He nodded. “Okay. Do you think he’ll shift to go for a run with you and the others before dinner?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. I could ask him. I think he’s hesitant because he told me he gets in trouble when he shifts.”

Henry smiled and tapped his shoulder. “Come on,” he picked up the paper, “let’s go ask.”

The 3 men walked out of the room and headed into the kitchen. Dean slowed when he seen his grandmother shuffling across the marbled floor with Castiel and he was keeping up with her. Henry laughed. “Well, I’ll be damned. He remembered.”

When the song ended, Cas dipped her and she laughed. She looked over and saw Henry, John and Dean. “Oh.”

Dean leaned on the counter. “Having fun?”

Castiel nodded. “I am. Your grandmother dared me.”

He winked at the older woman. “She does that a lot. It’s her excuse to flirt with handsome Alphas.”

Castiel laughed. “Well, if I was forty years old I might challenge Henry.”

“I’d snap you in two,” Henry muttered and then laughed. He snapped the page at him. “Do you think you could fill that out?”

“What is it?”

“Your wolf registration,” he answered.

“Wolf registration?” Lisa, Charlie and Jo asked.

Castiel looked at Dean and he put a comforting hand on his lower back. “I’m a shifter. I’ve been able to shift since I was...”

“Three,” Dean and Henry said in unison.

“Three?”

Dean nodded. “We shifted about a month apart. Grandpa told me that the other night.” He tapped the paper. “You fill this out and grandpa will turn it in with the required information.”

“When I’m registered what’s it mean?”

“Well, the government will have you move here,” Henry told him. “All shifters live here, Cas. It’s the law because it’s safer for you here then it would be out there.” He touched his hand. “You know that better than anyone.”  
He nodded. “Okay.” He looked at Mary. “Do you have a pen?”

She picked one up off the counter and hand it to him. Charlie came over to the counter as Castiel filled the paperwork out. “What color are you?”

“Um...black,” he answered. He slid his eyes to Dean and said, “With a small balding patch on my front left leg.”

Dean shrugged. “Sorry?” he asked shoving the roll into his mouth.

Castiel laughed. “You really shouldn’t do that.” He wrinkled his nose. “It’s not cute.”

“Says the guy who used to chipmunk cheek all of his Laffy Taffy.”

“I had to,” Cas argued. “Gabriel would eat it all before I could.”

He finished filling out the paper and quickly signed his name. He looked at Henry. “Who signs under me?”

“Me,” he answered and took the pen. He quickly signed his name. “Do you have a driver’s license and your social security card?”

He nodded. “Is that all?”

He nodded. “Yeah. They also want a picture of what you look like in wolf form. Figured we could do that later and I’ll fax it over to Vince at the Registration office later tonight.” He looked at Castiel. “This means, once you’re registered that your family Alpha shifts from your dad to me. Are you okay with that?”

Jo smiled. “You’ll like Henry, Cas.”

“Yeah, he’s cool.”  
“I remember,” he said softly. “And that’s fine.”

“Cool,” Dean said and tapped his shoulder. “Wanna go for a run with us?”

“Run?”

He nodded. “Every night before dinner we go for a run...as our wolves.”  
“Oh!” Cas exclaimed. “I can’t do that!”

Henry stopped John. “I got this. Go find something to do.” He walked to the young teen. “Hey, look at me.”

He looked into his eyes. Henry smiled. “Do you remember the number one rule I gave you and Dean while you were playing here?”

He thought about it for a moment. “Um...what happens here no one in the outside world knows about it. But Henry you don’t know my--”

“I do, actually. I’m your mother’s godfather,” he told him. “Trust me, Cas, okay?” He touched his cheek affectionately. “I know it’s hard to trust anyone because of what you’ve been through but try to trust me while you’re here they will never find out that you shift. If you want to go run as your wolf then go do it.” He took his face in hands and said, “But most of all: Have fun and be careful.”

Dean looked at his Alpha and smiled. “Wanna?”

“Very much so.”

“Then let’s go,” Jo said and quickly shifted into a beautiful cream colored furred wolf.

“Nice color,” Cas said with a smile. He flicked Charlie’s hair. “Let me guess...brindled?”

She nodded. “Yep.” To prove it, she shifted effortlessly like Jo had.

Castiel couldn’t believe it. They could shift willingly at any moment and never fear punishment. He looked at Henry. “And they aren’t punished for…?”

“No,” Henry said. “As I said while you’re here, they will never find out that you shift, Cas. You have my word.”

He nodded. Dean walked up beside him. “Wanna do it together?”

Castiel smiled. “We used to anyway.”  
“You did?” Charlie asked.

Dean asked. “We’ve been playing together in wolf form since we were three and Bart—his grandfather—would sneak him over here.”

Millie smiled. “They’d gotten really good at it too.” She looked at Henry curiously. “I wonder if their mental bond will still be there.”  
“What mental bond?” Dean asked.

Henry shook his head. “It was the strangest thing. You two had this bond thing going that you seriously didn’t have to speak to communicate and you hadn’t even done the wolf psychic thing. You just had to look at him and he knew what you wanted. It was strange but very cool. Bart and I researched it. The last time a bond happened like that between two shifters was like four hundred years ago.”

“Oh, wow...” Cas said. He exhaled. “Let’s do it.”

Dean nodded. “All right.”

Just like with Jo and Charlie, Dean shifted effortlessly. However Cas’ shift was a little rough, but still really good. Cas stopped and looked at Dean. “ _You’re darker than you used to be_.”

Jo walked over and said, “ _Race ya to the river.”_

All 4 of them sprinted out of the house and took off for the woods. They took off for a dead run to the river. The run took time, Castiel realized. They must have a lot of land. They got to the lake and Castiel stopped. _“Wow...”_

_“Beautiful, huh?” Dean said._

_“Gorgeous.”_ He sighed. _“Dean, I don’t remember it feeling like this to shift.”_

 _“Probably because it didn’t.”_ He licked his face. He felt even more drawn, even more attracted to Cas. With him shifted it helped the inner wolf within him to express itself...was that the way to say it?

_“So, with me registered and going to be living here full time what does it mean for...what’s going on between us? I’d like to continue what_ _ever this is, but if you think it might be awkward or whatever I’d understand.”_

Dean looked at the beautiful ebony colored wolf and walked to him. _“In our traditions here at Arcadia, do you know what it means for the High Alpha to see our affection toward one another and not go into interrogation mode with the Alpha who wants to stack his claim, especially when the Omega is his grandson?_

_“Um...no.”_

_“He approves, Cas. And if Henry Winchester, High Alpha of Arcadia Pack approves even before you ask for it, then nothing has to change with what’s going on between you and I.”_ He tucked his head under Cas’ snout. He purred when Cas tucked his head into him too. He nipped at his neck, licked his fur. _“I want to see if we’re as lucky as the others in the class were.”_

_“But, Dean, you said it yourself. You’re the High Alpha’s grandson, you could have a much more suitable mate for your position than a wolf with no pack of his own.”_

Dean whimpered and nipped and nuzzled at him again. _“I don’t want an arrangement. Grandpa knows that. I want to mate for love and know that my mate loves me.”_ He looked into the water blue depths of his eyes and said, _“I do want you, though. I want you even more as my wolf then I thought was possible considering it’s supposed to happen that way._ _I always wanted it to be you.”_

_“Wha...what?”_

_“It’s true,” Dean told him. “If you don’t want that too, say something now because it will be in high gear once you’re living here full time.”_ He nipped at his neck again. _“With all the fun privileges that come with, Alpha.”_

_“No, Dean. I want you too. I want to be with you. The good, bad and fun privileges that apply to that.”_

Dean excitedly jumped on him, pinning him to the ground. He couldn’t wait for Cas to be living here full time. Not only would he be getting his dream Alpha, but more importantly his best friend back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Question: Would you like to see more of Arcadia...and whether Cas spends the night with his future mate?
> 
> Bonus points if you suggest what should happen if they do.


	5. Chapter 5

The foursome got back to the main house about 45 minutes later. Still, in their wolf forms, Jo and Charlie headed to the main dining hall, while Dean and Cas walked into the main house. They walked into the kitchen and Dean walked over to help his mom and grandmother. Castiel walked over to Henry. “May I speak to you for a minute, please?”

He nodded. “Absolutely.”

They walked into a room that can only be described as a sitting room. There was no form of entertainment in the room except maybe a few books. The floor was a rich brown wood with a white plush carpet laid over it to protect it where they had put the furniture. The furniture was white to match the walls and the carpet, but the room had pops of color from pillows to pictures on the wall. “So, Castiel, what did you want to talk to me about?”

He sat down on the couch and sighed softly. “I know that you and my grandfather have always known how I’ve felt about Dean.”

“We have, yes.”

“That hasn’t changed. That’s obvious from what happened outside, but Sir, I don’t want to break protocol or anything. If there are rules about courting in Arcadia Pack then I’d like to follow them.”

Henry smiled, his chest swelling with pride. Bart told him Castiel would be the type to want to follow the Pack rules. “You would?”

“Yes. I don’t know if you have different rules for courting or even mating with your grandson compared to the others but if you do...”

“Cas, there aren’t separate rules. At least not really.” He looked in the archway of the room and saw his son peeking in. He rolled his eyes. “Come into my office. We’ll have more privacy from prying eyes.”

He nodded and followed him into the office that he was in when he received the registration paperwork. Henry motioned for him to sit down and he did. “I’m sorry for changing locations, but it would seem that my son wants to know your intentions and that’s not his place. He might ask you, but whatever he says to you remember once we leave this room you have my approval and that’s all that matters.”

“Really? But John’s Dean’s--”

“That’s how the pack has worked for centuries, Castiel. It will continue to work that way until the next Alpha takes his position and decides to change it. However, I do have a few requests as the man who wants to be with my grandson.”

He pressed a hand to his chest where his heart was. “I love Dean and Sam as more than just my grandsons. They’ve...they’ve become a lot more than that to me and Millie. Millie and I raised them pretty much. Mary listens to her parents a lot despite me being the High Alpha of the pack and John does whatever he wants. Wherever he learned that I will never fucking know, but because of that Dean’s been neglected. John’s hoping that Sam will become an Alpha since he was so disappointed that Dean hadn’t.”

“That’s not Dean’s fault,” Cas argued.

“I know, but that’s my son. He acts more like my father William than he has me.” He smiled softly, affectionately. “Dean’s a lot like Millie and maybe that’s why when I noticed both Mary and John neglecting him I immediately stepped in and showed him the affection that he was craving from his parents.”

“Okay. What would you like me to do?”

“Love him,” he said. “I know that may seem simple and it sounds like it, but Dean’s….spirited,” he said for lack of a better word. “I’ve always been leery about having him be with an Alpha because I was afraid that said Alpha would kill that spirit. That spirit is what lights him up, Castiel. It’s what makes him who he is and I’d hate for him to lose it because the Alpha who wants to be his mate feels threatened by that liveliness, by that spirit. So, I’m asking you, love him even when his stubborn streak is going strong and you’re feeling frustrated because he’s resisting what you want him to do. Love him, even more, when he insists on doing what every other Alpha is doing out there. I raised him the way that I run the pack. Here there aren’t designations. If you can do the work then you do it.” He looked into Castiel’s eyes. “Dean does the work and he’ll continue to do it and that means even defying you to do it.”

“Of course, Henry.” He exhaled. “I love that part of him. He’s been that way since we were kids I wouldn’t even dare touch that part of him like that.” He exhaled. “My father’s not going to like it, but I promise you I won’t kill one of the many things that I have loved from the moment that he announced to me that he was my best friend whether I liked it or not.”

Henry laughed. He remembered that all too well. It was the day that 3-year-old Dean announced that he was going to keep Cas. That his parents didn’t deserve him. “I remember that. That was also the day that he announced to me and your grandfather that he was keeping you. Broke his heart when Bart told him he had to return you to your parents because he’s been sneaking you over.”

“Speaking of my grandfather, if I may, why doesn’t grandma and grandpa live here? Is it because non-shifters aren’t allowed? Or is grandma not registered?”

He was waiting for this question. He cleared his throat. “Your grandmother is a member of the pack--”

“She is?”

He nodded. “She has been since she was twelve when she first came to live here. I will never kick out a member of the pack for falling in love with a non-shifter, Castiel. That would be just cruel.” He sighed. “I’m going to tell you something that not even this pack knows, okay? At least not the younger ones. Your grandparents are members of the pack. Bart’s a member through your grandmother.” He exhaled. “Your mother will never admit this and she probably kept it from your father but she was raised here. She’s a member of Arcadia, which unfortunately for your brothers makes them members of the Pack also. But that makes you a pack member.”

“Does that mean I can’t be with--”

“I didn’t say that,” Henry assured him. “Cas, the only time I’d stop you and Dean from being together is if you were hurting him or if for some reason we found out you’re a relative or something.” He sighed. “Although if you seriously pursue my grandson like I think you will then you should know that as the High Alpha’s grandson-in-law you will have a job with us. You will be a member of the Pack through Dean after that. As the Alpha of a High Alpha family Omega, you’ll come to live here and join the council and help me run the pack.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “Really. High Alpha Families are shown respect like presidents’ families or being a Prince or something.” He smiled. “So if you wanna think of it that way, then Dean is the Prince Omega of the Pack and as his Alpha then you’ll automatically get that same respect.” He looked solemnly at the teenager. “People will defer to your judgment sometimes. They’ll wait for your command and as long as you don’t abuse it then I will inform everyone that what you say goes when it concerns certain matters.”

Castiel nodded. “Okay. Not on a power trip, just asking, will I be sitting in on council meetings?”

He nodded. “With Dean. Council members’ Omegas can sit in on the meetings and like Millie, Dean and Mary have an opinion on what is happening.” He smiled. “I refer to them for Omega issues. In fact, that’s Dean’s job. He deals with the Pack’s Omegas’ issues, questions and problems.”

“Wow...that’s cool.”

He nodded. “He takes the job very seriously. Sometimes the Omegas complain about things he has no control over, but he’s figured out how to speak to them. Which is good.” He opened his mouth to say something but stopped when a knock filled the room. “Yes?”

“Sweetheart?”

“Right here, Baby,” Henry said standing.

“We’re heading over with the food, Sweetheart. Everything okay? Dean’s getting a little worried.” She smiled at her husband. “Not that he’d ever admit it.”

He laughed. “We’re right behind you,” he promised. He kissed her.

She nodded and squeezed Cas’ shoulder. “See you at the banquet hall, Castiel.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Henry waited for the door to close before he said anything more. “Oh, one more thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Be sure that you can and are willing to be with Dean for a very long time. Wolves mate for life, Castiel.” He looked into his eyes. “And you’re seventeen, you’re decelerating aging as begun. Which means you’ll be with Dean longer than forty to sixty some odd years together. My father is eighty-six years old and looks in his sixties. I’m almost sixty-one years old and--”

“You’re sixty?!”

He nodded. “I know. I don’t look it and neither does John look his age. Wolves have been known to live well into their hundreds at least, Castiel. So, I’m saying, if you want Dean then find common interests besides sex to keep you going, okay?” He smirked at the young Alpha. “Cuz trust me, sex can keep you together as shifters. However, it helps to have other interests together. Like Millie and I go dancing every Thursday. We like to watch old movies while in bed.” He smiled. “Find ways to use those interests to spend time together too. It helps build your bond.” He chuckled. “Not that you and Dean will need it.”

He laughed. “I wouldn’t say that. I still have to figure out how to keep this life from my parents and brothers until I am registered.”

He put an arm around his shoulders and walked out with him. “The best part of it is though, Castiel, you don’t have to figure that out alone.”

* * *

The Banquet Hall was like stepping into a tavern from the 1700s. It had the wood-planked ceiling, the planks went along the walls. The floor was a weather-proofed carpet that was underneath 5 very long wooden tables with bench seating. When Henry and Castiel walked into the hall heads turned and watched them. He heard the murmurs. Some glared, others studied him as if to try and figure out what he was doing there.

Castiel stopped when he seen Sam. “Wow...he grew up.”

Henry laughed. “He still is.” He looked at Sam. “Feet out of the chair, Sam.”

“Sorry, grandpa.”

Henry looked at his oldest grandson. He looked annoyed and his eyes fell on the Alpha who was annoying him. Garrett Patterson. He should have known. Ever since the Alphas of the pack knew they’d have decision power if they mated Dean they’d been trying to turn his head. Henry exhaled.

He opened his mouth to say something but the smell of rotting pumpkins swirled around them. The kid was jealous, very jealous. _This could be interesting._ He looked at the intruding Alpha and growled, “Get outta here.”

“Yes, Alpha,” Garrett said darting off the platform.

“Thank you, Grandpa,” Dean muttered, a little embarrassed.

Cas noticed the embarrassment from the green-eyed Omega and realized he was embarrassed that he couldn’t take care of the annoying Alpha himself. Seeing the empty chair on Dean’s right, Cas asked, “May I sit?”

“Go ahead,” he said.

Castiel walked up the platform and took the seat next to Dean. Seeing Dean’s hands in his lap, he reached over and took his hand, he interlocked their fingers. He leaned over, the scents of vanilla and nutmeg swirled around him, tinged slightly with bitterness. Knowing when Dean was embarrassed to not bring the subject of embarrassment up, he asked, “You will help me through dinner tonight, right?”

He nodded and laid another hand over their joined hands. He sighed. “Sorry.”

“For what?” he asked, turning his head to look at Dean.

Dean sighed. He didn’t answer the question Cas had asked, but he had said something in the way of an answer. “It pisses me off that I can’t seem to shake some of them. They don’t seem to take no for an answer sometimes.”

“Dean.”

The Omega heard the softness of the way his name came from those amazing lips of his and sighed softly. He looked into his blue eyes. “What?” he whispered.

“I can understand how it would make you feel that way and quite honestly I was jealous, but,” he said that word a little firmly so that Dean wouldn’t try to argue that he shouldn’t have felt that way. “it’s how I felt. I can’t stop it.” He smiled softly. “But there’s nothing wrong with needing help sometimes.”

He nodded. He shrugged, thanked one of the Betas who dropped a plate of heaping spoonfuls of food in front of both he and Castiel. “I know, Alpha. It’s just...”

“Just what?”

“It’s just the way I grew up...” he sighed. Thanks to a conversation with his grandmother in the kitchen before they came to the Hall Dean knew the only way to have a relationship that is different from his parents was to open up to the guy who has had his heart since they were 3 years old. “I’ve had to prove to not only my father, but to everyone else that just because I’m an Omega didn’t mean I couldn’t take care of myself, so when an Alpha is pretty insistent and won’t take no for an answer it’s hard for me to ask.”

He nodded. “I could see that.” _Note to self: Ask Henry about the steps to take to claim Dean for everyone else to know that he had an Alpha._ Of course, first Dean would have to agree to be courted and to be claimed for other Alphas.

* * *

That night, the teenagers and preteens sat in the movie room watching the newest Avengers movie to be out on DVD. Jo, Charlie and Ash sat on the love seat. While Benny and Andrea were curled into one of the recliners. Dean and Castiel were seated in what Dean had deemed the ‘most comfortable movie chair in the world’. He had to admit it was the best chair to watch a movie.

And to do other things.

For the entire movie Dean and Cas sat in the reclining leather, just enjoying the cuddling. Their legs were entwined so tightly and Dean’s head was rested on his chest and he affectionately wrapped his arms around Dean. He glanced at his watch and groaned. “Babe.”

“Hmm?” the Omega hummed contently.

“I have to go.”

“What?” Dean asked pulling his head up. “Why?”

“Because it’s nine-thirty and my curfew’s ten.” He brushed his lips across his hair. He eased out of the chair and saw the sad look in his eyes. “Dean.”

The Omega looked into his eyes. Cas smiled and kissed his lips. “I don’t want to but if I don’t then I won’t be able to see you for a while because I’ll be grounded.”

“Okay, Alpha.”

Cas sighed as he turned to leave, seeing the Omega pouting in the chair. He walked through the house and was pulling on his shoes when Henry saw him.

“Hey, Cas. I just got off the phone with your grandfather.”

He straightened. “Is he okay?”

He smiled at the concern that flashed in his eyes. “He’s fine. He just called me back after we had talked. Your parents think that you’re staying with Bart and Hester. So, if you want to you can go back in and finish the movie...”

“Thank you, Henry.”

“You’re welcome. Also, as much as John’s going to have a problem with this, um...you can sleep in Dean’s room. I’m begging you though, please don’t have sex. I think it’s a little soon for that--”

“Me too,” he told him. “I promise your grandson’s virtue will still be intact in the morning.”

Henry laughed. “Good. See you in the morning.”

Cas pulled his shoes off and walked back into the movie room as Wonder Woman fought in her first battle. He walked over to where Dean stared at the screen, but wasn’t really watching, Cas knew that. He walked over and muttered, “You gonna give me my spot back?”

Dean looked up at him. “I thought you had a curfew?”

“I do, but apparently our grandfathers are matchmaking.” He smiled. “Henry called Bart and Bart told my dad I’m spending the night with him and Hester.” He smiled. “So, are you going to move over?”

Without saying anything, he scooted over. Cas slid into the chair and Dean curled himself into the Alpha. Cas exhaled and wrapped his arms around him. In the screen-lit dark Dean whispered, “I missed you.”

Cas smiled and kissed his hair. “I missed you too.”

* * *

After Wonder Woman finished, everyone said goodnight and left the house. Dean shooed Sam up to bed and started cleaning up. Cas pushed himself out of the recliner and started helping him clean up. “How often does movie night happen?”

“Usually it goes from Friday to Sunday afternoon,” Dean told him. “But Andrea and Sam’s friend Barry got the flu that was going around so we postponed it.” He turned, facing him and he sighed. He walked up to him and kissed him.

Cas smiled, turned him into the island and deepened the kiss this time. He pulled back and sighed. “I’ve been wanting to do that all night.”

Dean smiled and put his arms around his neck. “You know you could have done it while we were watching the movies. I’ve seen Avengers and Wonder Woman several times.” He ran his fingers up and down Cas’ arms. “It would have been a lot more fun.”

He laughed. “Oh, I have no doubt.” His body was heating up with each caress up and down his arms. “I should probably tell you. I promised your grandfather that your virtue would still be intact in the morning.”

He smiled and dropped his hand to his groin. “So, does that mean yours will be too?”

He laughed and gasped when the Omega rubbed his hand into his groin. “Dean...”

He took Cas’ hand and pulled him the stairs. They walked to his room and Cas walked in first. Dean flipped the light on and Cas saw the expanse of the room. It was like an apartment. “Wow, Dean...”

He closed the door and flipped the lock for privacy. He smiled and watched as the Alpha looked around. “Do you like it?”

“Very much so,” Cas told him. He turned to him. “Isn’t some of this from when I’d play up here with you?”

“Yeah. Um...the space with the bed, the sitting area and the bathroom. Grandpa added on with the other rooms when I manifested.”

“It looks amazing,” Cas said turning back to face him.

Dean had no idea what had come over him, maybe it was the fact that he was in his room...finally! And that he was spending the night, but he moved quickly, taking his face in his hands and claiming his mouth. Cas moaned in surprise as he stumbled back. The kiss was soft as Cas regained his bearings and gripped the front of his t-shirt. As their lips caressed each other, each connection of their lips had the kiss building.

Dean pulled back, looking into his eyes. Cas saw the Omega yellow outlining his eyes and he claimed his mouth, this time savagely. The fire that Dean felt in the parking lot at school was there again, this time more intense. He could have sworn he could hear his inner wolf howling with joy. He gripped the front of Cas’ shirt and walked him backwards to the bed.

Cas tumbled onto the bed, breaking the kiss. Dean came down on him and fusing their mouths together again. He gasped into Dean’s mouth as he swept his tongue inside, tangling it with Dean’s. He’d never known that kisses could feel like this. Never knew that at seventeen he could experience a passionate kiss. He wanted to feel Dean’s heat beneath his fingers, feel each breath against his fingertips. He found the end of the t-shirt and broke the kiss with a panted demand, “Off now!”

Dean straightened and pulled the shirt over his head. He threw it to the floor and took the Alpha’s face in his hands again. Cas broke the kiss this time and looked at the Omega’s bare chest. He caressed a hand down the tiny definition of his pectorals, down his abdomen. He felt Dean’s intake of breath against his fingers and looked up into his eyes.

“Alpha,” Dean said hoarsely.

Cas tucked a hand at the back of his neck and pulled him down to his mouth. Their mouths came together savagely as they nipped, bit at each other. Castiel changed positions and pulled his own shirt off. He tossed it to the floor. He looked down into his eyes. “God...you’re beautiful.”

“Come here,” he said hoarsely and pulled his mouth to his. He changed positions until he was straddling him. He looked down at the incredibly handsome Alpha and moved his hands up and down Cas’ bare chest.

“What are you doing, Omega?”

“Try to decide how far I can go with you since you made the promise about my virtue.”

Cas laughed softly. “Well, it’s like you said, Omega. Mine doesn’t have to be intact.” He sat up and looked into his eyes. “Do what you want to me, Omega.”

Dean’s heart stuttered and his stomach did flip-flops at the way he had said that. He bent forward and kissed him long and deep. He shifted on top of him and sat just right that if he moved the friction would get them both off. “Anything…?”

Cas looked up into his eyes and saw the lust there. He swallowed the lump of need in his throat. “Give it your best shot.”

Dean smirked and kissed his lips again. “Oh, you shouldn’t have done that, Alpha.”

He slid down Cas’ legs and unbuttoned his jeans. He slid the zipper slowly and stood off the bed. He pulled them from his hips and pulled them off. He dropped them to the floor and pulled his own off. Keeping their underwear on he straddled him again.

The moment that Cas felt the wetness from the Omega’s slick his mind exploded with lust. Dean positioned Cas’ erection at the cleft of his ass and began moving his hips. Desire and the feel of the thin fabric separating them as the Omega sped up his hips a little. Cas moaned loudly. “Holy...Dean...”

“May I touch you, Alpha?”

“I...” he felt a gush of his slick and his mind exploded. Not trusting himself to say the right thing he nodded. Dean reached behind him and pulled Cas free from his underwear. “Mmm,” he hummed appreciatively and began moving back and forth. He gasped as Cas bucked a little.

Dean leaned forward and whispered, “You know it’s too bad you promised my virtue would be intact, Alpha, because you could be getting me off too.”

Jesus. He arched his head into the pillow and moaned. “Damn, Dean...”

He pushed down and moved back as he whispered again in the Alpha’s ear. “Would you believe that I’ve never done this before?”

“Fuck...” Cas muttered.

“Give me your hands,” he commanded and the Alpha moved his hands to Dean’s thighs. Dean intertwined their fingers and moved them above his head. As soon as he had the Alpha’s hands firmly, he sped up his hips and ground into him with each pass of his groin with Cas’. “Mmm...Alpha. That feels good.”

“Dean,” he whimpered.

Dean felt the knot that time press into him as he ground down on him and back. He gasped and his slick gushed even more. Their aroused scents swirled around them both. “Oh, God...Cas,” he murmured. “You feel good even like this.”

“God, Dean...that feels amazing, Baby.” He squeezed their joined hands.

“Next time I want you to get me off. Please, Alpha.”

“Absolutely,” he groaned. “Shit!” He exclaimed. “Dean, I’m close.”

Dean smiled against his mouth. “I know I can feel your knot.” It was true he could. And if the feel of it was any indication of how big it was Dean couldn’t help but wonder if it’d fit in him when they made love. “It feels huge, Alpha.”

“Oh, Jesus...” Cas whimpered as continued to harden at Dean’s words. “Baby, do me a favor.”

“What’s that, Alpha?”

“Stop talking,” he whined as he strained against him again. “I’m gonna come...”

So, Dean did just that and began grinding more and more into him until they were both panting hard, the lust so thick between them and his slick drenched them both. Within moments, Cas saw the white spots as they came together in one shivery mess. Dean collapsed onto his chest.

The room fell silent as they both tried to even out their breaths. Keeping their hands joined Dean asked, “Should I...apologize?”

“For what?” Cas asked.

“Well, that wasn’t very nice of me, Cas, I ruined your underwear.”

He laughed at the innocence in his voice. “Dean.”

He lifted his head and moaned when Cas took his mouth. His head swam and he fell into the kiss, his hands never leaving Cas’. He pulled back. “Wha...”

“Never...ever...apologize.” He kissed him deeply.

“Okay. We should probably remove these since we drenched them.”

Cas looked up at him. “Do you trust me?”

“With my life and my heart.”

His heart skipped. He trusted him with his heart. That was huge for an Omega. “Okay.” He kissed his hair. “If we keep it between us we could sleep naked tonight and the next time I spend the night I’ll bring some clothes.”

Dean nodded and kissed his chest. He rolled off him and pulled his underwear off and dropped them down with his jeans. “That feels better.”

Cas pulled his off and looked at Dean over his shoulder. “Ready?”

“Yeah,” he said. “Let me see?”

He rolled over and Dean groaned in appreciation. Cas looked him up and down. “God, Dean...”

He smiled and kissed his lips. “Do you think you’ll be able to sleep?”

“If you roll into me, yes.”

Dean reached up, turned out the light, got under the blankets and curled into Cas, resting his head on his chest. He kissed his sternum. “Goodnight, Alpha.”

“Goodnight, Sweetheart.”

Within moments, they were both asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after...
> 
> Jo kisses Charlie to prove a point not only to the Omega but her girlfriend, Dorothy too.
> 
> And for the first time, Cas admits to what he is... a shifter.

The alarm buzzed annoyingly and Cas moaned.

“Kill it, Alpha. Make it stop,” Dean groaned.

Cas stretched to turn off the alarm and wrapped his arms around Dean. He kissed his shoulder. “Morning, Sweetheart,” he murmured sleepily.

Dean rolled, facing him. “Morning, Alpha.” He kissed him. He looked into the guy’s sleepy blue eyes. His heart pounded hard in his chest as his heart filled with a warmth he didn’t know how to describe if asked. His stomach dropped. What’s going to happen now? Do they pretend like the last couple of days hadn’t happened? Were they supposed to pretend that they hadn’t basically had sex last night? That Dean hadn’t opened up and told him things he had never said to anyone, not even his family.

Cas could tell that there was something wrong. He didn’t need to scent the anxiety on him to know. He could feel it. “Sweetheart?”

There was no answer, Dean’s summer green eyes were staring into his chest now. Cas reached over and caressed his cheek, gently pulling his chin to look him in the eyes. “Baby?” Cas watched as the guy’s eyes snapped back to reality.

“Sorry, Alpha,” he murmured.

“It’s okay, Baby,” he said, caressing him affectionately. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” he nodded into his pillow. “I’m fine.”

Cas sighed. He was lying. He’d always been able to tell. “Dean.”

Dean exhaled loudly. “What happens at school?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, no one there knows you’re a wolf, Cas. So, the way most everyone at school will see is that you’re slummin’.” He sighed. “Do we just pretend that last night--”

Dean’s words died against his hand. “No,” Cas said immediately. “Of course not.” He leaned forward and pressed his lips to his in a hot slide of lips. “Last night was amazing. I would never trade that for anything. Not even to keep my stupid ass friends.”

Dean laughed and kissed him deep and rolled on top of him. He felt Cas’ erection and smirked against his mouth. “Nice to see someone’s up.”

Cas laughed and kissed him again, rolling him onto his back again. He pinned his hands this time, intertwining their fingers. “He’s always up for anything when it comes to you.” He kissed him again, this time pushing his tongue into his mouth.

Dean moaned and arched his body into his. He fought to have his hands free. Cas let go and took his face in his hands, the kiss becoming like a drug as their tongues tangled and Cas poured everything into it. He pulled back, exhaling. “Wow...”

“Yeah,” he said breathlessly. He kissed him again, dragging his bottom lip through his teeth. “You’re an incredible kisser.”

He moaned as the heat went to his groin. “You too.” He tapped his chest. “Jump in the shower with me?”

Cas’ eyes went huge for a moment. “Really?”

He nodded. “Yeah. We’ve already slept next to each other naked and I’m pretty sure that my virtue is still intact like you promised Grandpa Henry.” He kissed him again and pulled him to sit up as he got up and off the bed. “Come on, Alpha.” He started walking to the bathroom. He looked seductively over his shoulder. “I’ll let you wash my back.”

Cas didn’t move at first. He stared up at the ceiling and wondered to himself how he got so lucky. He exhaled, more content than he had felt in a very long time. He walked into the bathroom and his wooshed out of his body. Dean seriously looked like sex on sticks standing there testing the water as it cascaded down his arm.

Cas walked up behind him and wrapped his arms around his waist. He kissed his shoulder, up his neck. He did a brief subtle suck on Dean’s mating gland and heard the soft moan of ‘Alpha’ come from those perfect lips. He moved up his neck, placing small kisses and then sucked on his earlobe.

Bolts of lightning lanced through Dean as his knees wobbled. He put a hand on the glass door and moaned, “Alpha...”

Cas dropped his hands down Dean’s chest and down his thighs. He scraped his teeth across the gland and Dean moaned very loud. Cas hummed against his neck. “Mmm...you are loud. I was beginning to think I dreamt how loud you got last night.” Cas smiled and looked into Dean’s eyes. “Put your hands on the door, My Omega.”

Dean had no idea what came over him. He usually didn’t submit even when an Alpha used that voice, but here he was putting his hands on the door and allowing the Alpha to adjust his hips.

Cas opened his cheeks and growled. “Damn...” he muttered. “You’re already wet, Baby.” He caressed his hand down Dean’s back and then caressed his ass crack.

Dean moaned. “Are you going to make me come, Alpha?”

“Absolutely,” he murmured and went to his knees.

The green-eyed Omega was shocked. “What are you doing?”

Cas pushed his cheeks apart and looked up at her. “Making love to the man lo--” he stopped himself. “Making love to the man I care about.” _Nice way to blow it, Novak._ He tested the waters. He gingerly licked the Omega’s hole and Dean moaned long, loud and deep. Castiel smirked. “Ahh...you like to be licked.”

“Fuck yeah,” Dean murmured.

Cas did it again, this time pushing his tongue into his hole. Dean moaned pulling his head back. “Holy shit, Cas...”

He continued the wonderful assault on Dean’s ass. With each stroke of the tongue or finger, the harder he began to buck into nothing. “Cas, please...”

“Please, what, Sweetheart?”

“Stand up, please,” he panted finally. “I need you close.”

Cas stopped, stood and pushed Dean flesh against his body. He crushed his mouth down on his and the punishing force had Dean whimpering. Seconds later, he wrapped his arms around his head and deepened the kiss. “You taste amazing, My Sweet Omega.”

“What about your promise to my grandfather?”

“Like you said last night, what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him...or us.”

“Does that mean you’re going to make me come?”

He nodded. “Absolutely.” He kissed the mating gland and pushed the other hand down his body. He felt the slick sliding down Dean’s legs. Cas tested it with pushing his middle finger to the first knuckle inside him.

Dean let out the most obscene and loud moan. “Oh, God...yes, Cas, yes.”

The Alpha pushed his finger in further and again Dean moaned. He began pumping his finger in and out of the beautiful teenager. As he pumped in and out of him, he felt him stretching. Once he was big enough for a second finger Cas pushed his ring finger into him and smiled when he heard the Omega groan loudly. He waited a few seconds and began pumping in and out of him.

Dean felt his whole body implode in fire and he felt his stomach knot in anticipation of coming. “Oh, God...Cas...”

Cas caressed his torso and his back as he pumped in and out of him again. “Come on, Baby. Come for me.” He left opened mouthed kisses on his shoulder and neck and then scraped his teeth over the mating gland.

Dean saw the white dots as he climaxed, spurting come on the floor. He leaned against Cas. “Dear Lord...” he panted. “If we go to school and you act like you didn’t just give me the best orgasm--”

“Dean, shut up,” he whispered, pulling his fingers out of him. He backed him into the shower on wobbly legs. He kissed him hard up against the wall. He pulled back. “I don’t know if you’ll believe this, but I’ve always liked you. And I mean, really liked you.” He kissed his lips. “I’ve wanted to be your Alpha since I knew you manifested as an Omega. But I never thought I had a chance--”

Cas words died as Dean took his mouth passionately. Their tongues tangled and Dean deepened the kiss. He pulled back. “Angel, you always had a chance, all you had to do was ask.”

Cas smiled and gave him a long drugging kiss. “Well...will you go out with me on tonight?”

Dean smiled. “Absolutely. When and where?”

“I’ll pick you up at six,” he said softly. “How about the carnival?”

He nodded and kissed him. “I would love to.”

“Good.” He picked up the sponge. He put some soap into it and squeezed it to lather it up. He began washing Dean.

* * *

They came downstairs about 20 minutes later. Dean smiled at his grandfather. “Good morning, Grandpa.”

“Mornin’, Little One.” He smiled at Cas. “Good morning.”

“Morning,” he said. He smirked at Dean. “Little One?”

“Shut up,” Dean said, blushing a little.

Millie looked at them both. “Pancakes are in the warmer, Dean.”

“Thanks, grandma. How come we’re not going down to the banquet hall?”

“Because your grandfather thought you’d take your time coming downstairs.”

Henry smiled when the teenagers looked at him. “Hey, I remember being a kid, you know.” He kissed his wife. “And you look even more beautiful, Omega.”

She smiled and kissed him. “I love you.”

“I love you.” He looked at Cas. “You may want to drive into school today in your car. You should make an appearance at your parents’ house.”

He nodded. “Yeah, thanks.” He began eating as Sam came downstairs. “Morning, Sam.”

“Good morning, Cas. Dean, I finished my math.”

“Let’s see it,” Dean said as Mary and John walked in. Sam placed the paper in front of him. He looked at him and then looked at Cas. “We’re having trouble with algebra.”

“Ahh...” Cas said taking a sip of his coffee that Millie placed in front of him. “You’re still the human calculator, huh?”

Dean shrugged. “It comes easy, what can I say?”

Cas smiled. He leaned over and kissed his hair. “It always has,” he murmured into his hair and walked to the warmer to get the pancakes. He pulled them down and turned to Dean as his grandparents started talking about what was on their agendas for the day. “Do you still eat them the way you always did?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

Castiel nodded. He walked to the fridge and found the butter and grabbed the syrup. He prepared the pancakes the way he remembered that Dean loved. A dollop of butter between each pancake. He picked up the syrup and drowned the pancakes in syrup. He prepared his own and walked back to the island where Dean was seated talking to his dad.

“No, I wasn’t going to work on the pickup today,” Dean said as Cas placed the plate in front of him. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

John looked at his son. “Why not?”

“Because I’ve been busy, dad.”

“Doing what?” He looked at Castiel and then back at his son. “Besides playing with Castiel.”

He rolled his eyes. His father still didn’t understand that he did things around this place that had nothing to do with catering to whatever he wanted. “Um…well, let’s see...there’s the door you promised Donna you’d fix and have been putting off for months.”

“I was going to get to it--”

“It’s the fucking middle of winter, dad! Jody and Donna have kids. They just had Alex last month and I’ve been inside that house before the door was fixed and after. Trust me they needed it.”

“You didn’t need to do it!”

“If you’re not going to do it then who will!? You’re sixty-one-year-old father! It’s not his job anymore! That’s why he has other Alphas here, dad. That’s why you were put in charge of it.” He glared at his father. “So, here’s an idea instead of sneaking out every night at about ten o’clock how about you actually stay home and fulfill the list of jobs you’re supposed to do so that your bitch of a son doesn’t have to do it?”

John raised his hand like he was going to backhand the boy and Cas came around the island and stood in front of Dean. “Don’t you dare!”

“John Eric Winchester, touch him and I will turn you over my knee and belt you one...with the paddle.”

Millie walked to Castiel. “Will you please take Dean and Sam into the dining room while John and Henry have a talk?”

“Absolutely,” Castiel obeyed. He looked at the boys. “Come on, guys.” He picked up his plate and Sam’s as Dean picked up his and they walked into the dining room.

They finished breakfast and without being asked, Castiel loaded the dishwasher and started it. He turned and Dean was coming toward him with his backpack. He smiled. “Thank you, Baby.”

“You’re welcome.” He kissed him. “Thank you for...the thing with my dad.”

“You’re welcome, Baby.” He kissed him. “I may have a crappy...” he sighed. “Never mind, it’s not important. What is is that I will always protect you, Dean. I promise.”

He kissed him. “Thank you and me, you.” He took his hand and said, “Which I wouldn’t be doing a very good job of it if you got detention because of me.”

“There wouldn’t be anyone else I would risk it for.”

Dean felt his chest get warm as his heart stuttered. He smiled. They walked out to the driveway. Dean looked at Sam. “I’ll be right back, okay? I’m gonna say goodbye to Cas.” He tossed him the keys.

“Okay. Don’t take forever. It’s cold out here since some of us don’t have someone to keep us warm.”

He laughed. “Right.” He walked with Cas to his car. “So, what’s going to happen with the car when you move here?”

“My parents are gonna keep it.”

Dean sighed. “Okay. I’ll see you at school, Baby.”

“Okay. I’ll miss you,” he murmured.

“I’ll miss you too,” Dean said and kissed him deeply.

The teenagers that rode in the van to school slowed when they saw Dean in a very intense lip-lock with Castiel Novak! Charlie’s jaw hit the cement. “Oh, my God! When...when did that happen?”

Sam smiled. “It’s new.” He looked at Charlie and Benny. “And they are actually cute. Don’t tell him I said that.”

Benny shook his head. “Wouldn’t dream of it.” He watched as the Alpha and Omega continued their intense lip-lock.

Charlie sighed. “I wonder what it feels like to be kissed like that...”

Dorothy, Charlie’s girlfriend of over a year rolled her eyes. “Ask him.”

Charlie’s eyes didn’t leave the couple as she stared at them longingly. She couldn’t help but wonder if it was as passionate as it looked. Jo smiled at the beautiful redheaded Omega. “And I rest my case on your search for another Alpha, Red.”

Dorothy spun on her. “And you could do better?”

Jo looked into Dorothy’s eyes and then looked at Charlie. Without asking, she took the female Omega’s face gently in her hands and claimed her mouth. Charlie gasped, stiffening slightly until she felt the Alpha’s tongue trying to gain entry into her mouth. _Well, Char, if you’re gonna do this mind as well see how it feels to be kissed mindless._ So, she opened her mouth on a moan and Jo pushed her way in.

Instantly their tongues fought a silent battle inside the cave of Charlie’s mouth. Desire clawed at Charlie in an instant and she put her hands on Jo’s shoulders to steady herself, dropping her hands to her waist seconds later.

Jo buried her long fingers into the flame-red hair and deepened the kiss. If she was going to die after this she was going to enjoy the going out party.

Dean waved to Cas as he pulled out of the driveway and stopped when he saw his 2 best friends making out. He stopped by the van. “Uh...what’s happening?” He asked Sam.

“Um...I’m-I’m-I’m not exactly sure,” he admitted.

“We do know that Charlie envied the way Castiel was kissing you and then I heard Dorothy say something like, ‘And you could do better?’ and this is what happened,” Amelia Richardson, a girl that went to Sam’s school rushed on.

Dean smiled. “About damn time.”

Jo pulled back, untangling her fingers from her hair. She had just let go of Charlie when was slammed into the van, an arm to her throat. "I could kill you for that."

Jo scoffed, smirking, "You could if you ever actually informed the High Alpha you were courting her." She pushed her arm off her. "But since you didn’t I’d say it’s up to Charlie whether she wants it to happen again.” She straightened and glared at the woman. “And do that again and I will kick your ass." 

* * *

Dean got out of the van, about ready to pull his hair out. The entire drive to EHS, Charlie and Dorothy argued. By the time that he had pulled into the parking lot of the school, Charlie was in tears. He went around and pulled the doors open. He glared at Dorothy. “Get the hell out of the van.”

“You can’t speak to me like that,” Dorothy said imperiously.

“He can speak to you any way he wants,” Benny told her. “He’s a member of the High Alpha Family, Dorothy. Which means if this Omega told us all to jump we’d have to ask how high. Now get out of the van.”

She got out of the van and stomped inside the building. Dean pulled Charlie out and hugged her. “It’s okay, Sweetheart. She’s an idiot, Knothead.”

Castiel had waited for the van to pull into the parking lot before he got out of his car. He stopped when he seen a sobbing Charlie go into Dean’s arms. He shut the door to his car and rushed over to them. Charlie had been a friend of his and Dean’s since elementary school. “What happened?”

“Dorothy’s a bitch,” Jo muttered.

Cas looked at the blond-haired Alpha. She was so pissed she was spitting nails. Dean looked over his shoulder, still comforting her. “She said some things you shouldn’t ever...say, especially to an Omega.”

Jo looked at Charlie and apologetically said, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have kissed you. I didn’t know she’d flip out like that.”

Charlie shook her head. “No. She’s just mad because you called her out on her lie.”

“She lied to you?” Cas said soothingly.

She nodded. “She told me she talked to Henry and then Jo said that she hadn’t stated her intentions at all.” She sighed. “She knows how the courting rules are, why wouldn’t she get Henry’s permission first?”

“Because Dorothy doesn’t believe she should have to ask for anyone’s permission when she wants something,” Dean told her. He rubbed her back. “Cas, can you grab my bag, please?”

“Absolutely,” he said and opened the passenger door and pulled his bag from between the seats. He put it on his shoulder as Dean ushered Charlie inside. Thankfully Charlie had a locker not far from Dean so they gathered around hers. “So, what’s going on between you and Cas?” Benny asked.

He shrugged. It’s not that he was insecure about where they were. He wasn’t. Cas had promised that they weren’t hiding, so there was no reason. However, he wanted to keep it private.

“Nothing?” Benny asked.

“I didn’t say that _nothing_ was happening. I’m just not gonna talk about it.”

“Why not?” Lisa Braeden just about demanded.

Charlie wiped her tears. “It seemed quick is all.”

Castiel walked to his locker, never realizing that he had Dean’s backpack still. He opened his locker and that’s when he realized he had Dean’s bag. He put it at his feet and hung up his messenger bag.

“Hey, Clarence.”

Castiel sighed. He looked at Hannah and Meg. “Hey, guys.”

“So, I called your house last night and your mother said that you spent the night at your grandparents’ house.”

“I did.”

“So, how come I saw you coming in with the dogs from Arcadia?” Meg demanded.

Cas’ eyes flashed with anger. “Don’t call them that!” He took his books out and his binder.

“You’re defending them?” Hannah asked.

Castiel didn’t answer as he walked over to Dean. “Dean, sweetheart.”

Dean turned around and smiled. “Thank you, Alpha.”

“You’re welcome.” He pressed his lips to his in a loving kiss that didn’t hold the heat that it had at Arcadia. He put an arm around Dean’s waist.

Instead of asking him again, he looked at Castiel. “Alpha to Alpha, what’s going on between you and Dean?”

Cas looked into Dean’s eyes and saw them pleading at him to not say anything. Dean wanted to keep it private for now. He looked at them. “I think you should respect the boundary that Dean’s trying to put up.”

“Why should we?” Benny glared.

Cas glared right back. “Tell me, Benny, do you question the High Alpha and Omega like this about what happens behind closed doors between them?”

Benny straightened. “Well, of course not.”

“So, tell me, why should Dean tell you? Because he’s your friend or an Omega and you can compel him to do it?”

No one said anything. Cas nodded. “That’s what I thought.”

They walked off and Dean looked at the Alpha. “Cas, Babe, I’m so sorry. I’m not...”

Cas smiled as the Omega rambled on into an explanation. He took his face gently and pressed his lips to his in a soul-searing kiss. He pulled back. "Sweetheart, it's okay."

"Are you sure? It's just the rest our lives is gonna be on display, Cas, I wanted--"

"You wanted to keep something between us for at least a little while longer?"

Dean nodded. "I'm sorry, Alpha."

"No reason to apologize, Sweetheart. Come on."

They turned to walk away when he heard Meg’s voice call him. He looked at Dean. “Stay, I want to walk to class with you.”

“Eww,” Hannah murmured. “Why are you kissing that?”

“Yeah, Castiel, since do you go out with dogs?” Meg asked. “Better yet, why are you hanging out with the dogs at all?”

“I’m kissing Dean, because I care about him a lot and love kissing him even more. And I’m hanging out with the wolves because I’m going to be a member of Arcadia.”

Hannah laughed. “Come on, Cas. You can’t. You have to be a shifter to be at Arcadia.”

Cas glared at his former friend. “I am one--”

Meg studied him. There was no way he wouldn’t have told her, right? “No, you’re not.”

“I am,” Cas said his eyes flashing Alpha red to ward her off. “And I’d appreciate it if you’d stop insulting my pack and my boyfriend.” He took Dean’s hand. “Come on, Baby, let’s get to class.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know some of you have been wondering when the summary details will come in. And I'd like to say I haven't forgotten about what I wrote in the summary, however, establishing Dean and Cas was important now for the way I have the events happening.
> 
> The next chapter will be the beginning of the summary details.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas' first date...Destiel romantic fluff abounds....
> 
> Major plot event happens...

At about 10 minutes to 6, Dean came downstairs dressed in a pair of gray jeans and a navy blue button-down shirt. He was rolling up the sleeves when he entered the kitchen. Millie smiled as she stirred her tea. “You look gorgeous, Baby.”

“Thanks, Grandma.” He leaned on the counter. “What flavor did you make this time? It can’t be chamomile. I know you and grandpa stay up later than eight o’clock.”

She smiled. “And you’d be right. Actually your grandfather is out with your father making sure that he fulfills the promises he’s made to the pack members. And I’ve actually made hot cocoa.”

“Ooh. That sounds good,” Dean murmured. “But I have a date with a very hot Alpha so maybe he’ll buy me hot cocoa.”

“You can count on it.”

Dean smiled and turned. He looked at his watch. “Hey, you’re five minutes early.” He walked to him. “I could get used to that.”

Cas laughed and kissed him. “I hope you do.” He exhaled.

Millie looked at the young wolf. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”

He shrugged. “It’s weird and I’m not sure if you’d ever believe me.”

She sat on the stool at the island and sipped the warm chocolate. “Try me. I did raise him.” She thumbed at Dean.

“I wasn’t that weird.”

“I didn’t say you were weird, Sweetheart. But you had an amazing imagination. You used to be able to describe amazing worlds that you and Castiel had come up with and lived in for hours.” She smiled at Castiel. “Castiel, I know you’ve never had this in your life, but I want you to trust me. Trust that you can come to me about anything and talk to me.”

He smiled and nodded. “I trust you, Millie. I really do.” He looked into her eyes and gave her a firm look. “I trust you and Henry. I trust you with my life.” He exhaled sharply. “My house doesn’t feel right anymore.”

“What do you mean?” she asked holding the mug between her hands. “Describe how it feels.”

“Nothing. I don’t feel anything in that house anymore. I mean, I have memories, but...”

Millie looked up at her grandson. She knew what that meant. “When you two shifted and went for your run what did you do?”

“I took him around the compound,” he explained. “I showed him things. The lake with the waterfall.”

“Did you take him to the altar?”

Dean hung his head and nodded. She laughed softly. Castiel looked between the two Winchesters. “What’s that supposed to mean? What did the altar have to do with any of what I’m feeling?”

She took a deep breath and said, “It’s an old family legend that if an Omega or an Alpha take their intended to the mating ceremony altar—you don’t have to do anything, like pledge your undying love or anything—you just have to let your wolves speak what you’re feeling.” She looked at them both. “And if you were in your wolf forms when you went there then more than likely your wolves spoke.” She covered Castiel’s hand. “Let me ask you a question, what do you feel when you’re here? On this land, in this house?”

“Calm,” Castiel replied. “Warm.” He looked into her eyes. “Home.”

She exhaled. She looked at her grandson. “I’ll have to tell your grandfather this. He’s gonna wanna know that the family legend struck again.”

Dean nodded. He looked up at Cas. “Are you mad?”

Castiel was shocked by his question. “Why would I be mad?”

He shrugged. “Because you didn’t make the decision for yourself?” he asked it as if he was supplying the question.

He laughed softly and kissed his lips. “Sweetheart, if I was angry you’d know.” He caressed his cheek. “I’m not mad. I think it was a very sweet gesture that you took me there. Our wolves were the ones that bound us together up there.”

“I should have told you.”

He shook his head. “There wasn’t a reason to tell me, was there?”

“Well, no, being that I had just found out about it. I mean I knew there was an old family legend, but I didn’t know what it was.”

“Then there would be no reason to be mad.” He took his face in his hands gently and smiled into his eyes. “Besides, I can’t be mad at the man I lo—I mean, the man I care about making his life feel like home for me.” He captured his mouth with his.

Dean heard his correction and knew why he was doing it, because he didn’t want to freak him out. He couldn’t freak him out when he felt it too. He loved Cas. He could admit it and wanted too. Being that it was the second time he had caught the slip he figured it would be a safe bet to say it not fear rejection. He wrapped his hand into Cas’ unkempt hair and took the kiss deeper. Their tongues mated like they wanted to do, but there were steps to get to that point. Steps that he knew that Cas wanted to take before doing it. Cas wanted to make it official. He pulled back slowly, lingering over the kiss.

Castiel sighed. “You’re getting really good at that.”

He smiled. “Thank you.”

“Let’s get going. This is our first official date I want to have fun.”

Millie smiled. “You two have fun. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“Promise,” Dean called over his shoulder walking out of the house hand in hand with Cas.

* * *

Jo felt like such an idiot.

She’d been replaying the whole incident, the kiss in her head and the more she thought about it the stupider that she felt. She thought that when Charlie muttered, “Yeah, that’d be nice,” that it was the go-ahead, but maybe she had misread her words and her signals. She exhaled, feeling her chest squeeze as she realized that maybe Charlie really didn’t want a different Alpha. Maybe she wanted to be with Dorothy. That Jo understood why when the girl treated her so horribly, but maybe she loved her.

But if Dorothy loved Charlie at all, or even minutely cared about her then she would have went to Henry and stated her intentions like Jo had done after she and Charlie talked and Charlie gave her what she thought was the go ahead. She had gone to Henry and told him that she wanted to court Charlie and asked if anyone had already stated their intentions. When Henry had told her no, she thought it was perfect timing but that it was weird that Dorothy had told her she did go to Henry when she hadn’t.

She was beginning to think that maybe she should just back off from the whole thing because her showing her intentions through actions only created a huge problem for Charlie. And that was the last thing she wanted. She didn’t want to hurt Charlie or cause her distress, but she wanted to show her that she had another Alpha option—not that she liked being an ‘option’--but she knew that Charlie wouldn’t have looked for another option unless she knew it was there.

She looked up to see Henry observing John as he fulfilled the to-do list he kept telling everyone he’d do for them. She picked up her pace and jogged to the High Alpha. She kept her head bowed as she said, _“High Alpha.”_

Henry looked down and smiled. “Hey, Jo...” he could scent the distress on the young female Alpha. He knelt down. “Sweetheart, are you okay?”

She shook her cream-colored head. _“No, Sir. I think I really screwed up today.”_

Not caring about his jeans and the fact that the temperature was still dropping, he sat in the snow. “Talk to me, Sweetheart. What is it?” He’d been helping Ellen take care of Jo ever since Bill had died when Jo was in elementary school.

_“I...I kissed Charlie.”_

“Well, that’s a good thing, right?”

She bobbed her head. “I _don’t know though. I mean, she returned the kiss, but, uh, it got her into trouble with Dorothy and Dorothy said some really mean things to her.” She sighed. “I think I misread her statement and maybe she didn’t want a new one.”_

“Jo, honey, she never actually had one. There’s a reason why there’s the ‘State Your Claim’ Rule. As much as I hate the title of the damn rule, it’s there so that other Alphas will know that the available Omega has a suitor. I’ve told all you kids what the courting rules are. Dorothy knew what she had to do, but she didn’t do it. That’s not anyone else’s fault but her own. And even if she wanted to bring the incident before the Arcadia Council, she wouldn’t win because she didn’t follow the expressed protocols she was supposed to.”

 _“_ _I know, but why do I feel like such an idiot? I mean, you should have seen Charlie’s face when she found out Dorothy hadn’t done what she was supposed to. She was upset, but I hadn’t known she didn’t tell her. I didn’t get into their relationship. Partly because I don’t like Dorothy. Never have.”_ She huffed. _“But I love Charlie. I’ve watched her for months be talked down to and everything by that dumb knothead and I...I couldn’t do it anymore. That’s why I came to you and to be quite honest I was surprised that Dorothy hadn’t come to you to stake claim either because you should hear her Henry she keeps saying that you and Millie love her and all this crap.”_ She huffed again. _“It just makes me angry. Charlie deserves to have things done in the right way and I thought I had done just that, but maybe...maybe I misinterpreted what she meant and she wants to stay with Dorothy.”_

“But that’s the thing, Jo. Even if they continued with each other the two of them couldn’t mate right away even after dating for almost year because Dorothy hadn’t said anything to me first. As I’ve said those courtship rules are there for a reason. Not only for the Omega’s safety but for others to know that there’s someone courting the available Omega.” He smoothed a hand down her fluffy coat. “Maybe you should go talk to Charlie. Get her opinion on what she wants you to do. If she wants you to back off then you make a promise that you will and if she doesn’t then maybe you can talk about what your next steps should be. Let it be her decision. I know you feel like you’ve been rejected, but at least give her a chance to tell you what she wants, okay?”

_“Okay. I could do that.”_

“Good. Go on. Go see what’s going to happen. My money’s on you.”

She nuzzled into his neck and huffed. She took off running toward Charlie’s cabin. Charlie didn’t have parents, hers died when she was in 8th grade, so now, Henry and Millie were her guardians and she lived in the cabin she shared with her parents. She walked up to the door and scratched at it. She shifted back to human and knocked.

Charlie pulled the door open. She smiled softly, a dishtowel in her hand. “Hi.”

“Hi. Is this a good time to talk?”

“Sure,” Charlie told her and moved to welcome her inside.

Jo walked in and sighed as the scent of Charlie filled her soul. “Um...I came here to talk to you about what happened today with me...kissing you and Dorothy.” She sighed. “I know I probably screwed up our friendship and for that, I’m going to be forever sorry for that. I wanted...I don’t know what I wanted.”

“Yes, you do,” Charlie told her, sitting on the arm of the couch. She sighed. “Jo, I’d be lying if I said that the kiss wasn’t amazing because it was.” She sighed again. “If that’s what it feels like when Cas kisses Dean then I can see why Dean likes it so much, but--”

“I know, I shouldn’t have done it. You were with Dorothy and it was wrong--”

“That’s the thing though, I wasn’t. At least not seriously. If she was serious she should have gone to Henry and talked to him. That’s the way that the courtship rules are. That’s the right way to do things. And I may not be totally traditional in my views on Omegas, the courtship rules are something she knew I wanted to follow explicitly. I wanted to follow them to the letter, but to get me to let go of the fact she lied to me and told me she went to Henry when she didn’t.”

The Omega sighed. “The thing is, I should have stopped you from kissing me, but...” She lifted her eyes to hers. “But it was...amazing.” She exhaled. “I don’t know if you know this but Omegas don’t mind a little manhandling as long as we’re not being hurt.”

She nodded. “I heard that.”

“And it was nice that you...took charge but wasn’t hurting me.” She exhaled shakily. “Recently Dorothy’s been pressuring me into mating with her and I’m not ready yet. She’s even taken to...” she pulled up her shirt sleeve.

Jo’s stomach dropped with her heart. There was a hand-shaped bruise on her arm. “Oh, Baby...” she whispered. She looked into her eyes. “This looks recent.”

She nodded. “It is. It happened earlier after school when we were arguing, but it’s not just that...it’s other things. She manhandles me and it hurts. Then she said the things she had in front of you guys and...” she looked at Jo. “That’s not the type of relationship I want.” She exhaled. “I ended it.”

Jo smiled. “Good for you.” She pushed her hair out of her face. “I’m proud of you for that.”

“I know you talked to Henry about courting me and if I knew you were serious when we were talking over our project questions then I wouldn’t have reacted that way.” She looked into Jo’s brown eyes. “Truthfully, I’ve had a crush on you for a while and the project only escalated it.” She folded the towel nervously. “The thing is I think we should take things slow--”

“W-W-W-Wait, are you saying that you want me to continue courting you?”

She nodded. “Yes.” She smiled. “It is ultimately my decision and as much as I cared about Dorothy she didn’t follow the traditional courting as she told me.” She smiled hugely at her. “I was about to have ice cream. Wanna join me?”

“I’d love to.”

* * *

“So, does Arcadia decorate for Christmas?” Cas asked as he handed Dean his large triple chocolate hot chocolate. He took his white chocolate and paid for them. They had decided after dinner to just walk around and check out the Christmas lights and decorations in town.

Dean nodded and sipped the chocolate as they walked, holding hands. He hummed in approval. “We do, yeah,” he finally answered. “We haven’t this year so far because usually that’s been my dad’s job since my grandpa broke his ankle the year before last. However, with dad acting the way he has been I’m wondering if we will at all this year.”

“You know, if you wanted...” Cas said, “I could spend the weekend with you and we could hang the lights and decorations.”

Dean stopped him and wrapped his arms around his neck, holding his warm cup away from the Alpha. “I’ll take any excuse for you to spend the night, Alpha.” He looked up into his eyes. “I love waking up next to you in the morning.”

“Me too,” Cas said and kissed him deeply.

Dean stopped when he saw the star ornaments on the lamp poles. “I knew it.”

“What?” Cas asked.

“Dad told me when I was talking about decorations that the star decorations wouldn’t look right.” He looked up at the star that hung off the lamp. “I think it looks beautiful.”

“It does. Not as beautiful as you.”

Dean laughed softly. “You do realize that you were already going to get a kiss goodnight, right?”

“Of course,” he smiled. “I don’t compliment you to get sexual favors. I compliment you because it’s true, My Beautiful Omega.” His smile slid wide. “The sexual favors are just a bonus.”

He laughed. Cas smiled at the older African American man on the street corner with his saxophone. “Hey, Joshua. How’s it going?”

“Good. Any requests?”

Cas thought about it for a moment. He leaned down and whispered something to him. The man smiled and put the saxophone to his lips. Dean smiled when he recognized the song. It was John Legend’s song to his wife. Cas turned to him. “Dance with me?”

“What?” Dean asked a little surprised by the question.

“Dance with me?”

He smiled. “I’d love to,” he said as Cas took his drink and sat it down next to Joshua. “But I thought Alphas don’t dance.”

“Most of them don’t know how,” Castiel told him. “Which is why most of them don’t. However, my grandpa taught me. Telling me that it’s a good thing to do with my chosen Omega at any time. Even for a date night in. So, he taught me.”

Dean went into his arms and tucked arm around him and put his hand in his. Dean moved in closer and Cas swayed with him. As they swayed, the jazzy tones of the saxophone swirled around them, both ignoring the cold. Cas put his lips to Dean’s ear and began singing the words:

_And I'm so dizzy, don't know what hit me, but I'll be alright_

_My head's under water_  
But I'm breathing fine  
You're crazy and I'm out of my mind

 _'Cause all of me_  
Loves all of you  
Love your curves and all your edges  
All your perfect imperfections  
Give your all to me  
I'll give my all to you  
You're my end and my beginning  
Even when I lose I'm winning  
'Cause I give you all, all of me  
And you give me all, all of you

 _How many times do I have to tell you_  
Even when you're crying you're beautiful too  
The world is beating you down, I'm around through every move  
You're my downfall, you're my muse  
My worst distraction, my rhythm and blues  
I can't stop singing, it's ringing, in my head for you

 _My head's under water_  
But I'm breathing fine  
You're crazy and I'm out of my mind

 _'Cause all of me_  
Loves all of you  
Love your curves and all your edges  
All your perfect imperfections  
Give your all to me  
I'll give my all to you  
You're my end and my beginning  
Even when I lose I'm winning  
'Cause I give you all of me  
And you give me all, all of you  
Give me all of you

_Cards on the table, we're both showing hearts  
Risking it all, though it's hard_

_'Cause all of me_  
Loves all of you  
Love your curves and all your edges  
All your perfect imperfections  
Give your all to me  
I'll give my all to you  
You're my end and my beginning  
Even when I lose I'm winning  
'Cause I give you all of me  
And you give me all of you

Dean pulled his head back and looked into the Alpha’s eyes. “Were you just singing or did you actually mean…?”

“I meant it,” Cas said. “I’ve been in love with you since we were kids, Dean. That hasn’t changed. If anything it’s gotten stronger. I would love nothing--” his words were cut off by Dean’s mouth crushing his. He moaned and took his head in his hands and fell into the kiss.

Dean pulled back moments later, breathless and really ready to say it now. “I love you,” he whispered. “And if you’ll have me I say yes to whatever happens between us.”

“Well, I hope when I start living at Arcadia full time that we could at some point mate.”

“I’d like that.” Dean smiled at him. “I have an idea. Let’s shift tonight and meet at the altar and repeat this.”

He smiled and kissed him. “I’d be happy to. Should make the ceremony when we do mate a lot easier.”

Dean nodded. “Yeah. And we’re one step closer to belonging to each other for the rest of our lives. Whenever that is.”

To seal the promises, Castiel kissed him deeply.

* * *

Castiel pulled through the open gates and Castiel got out and opened Dean’s door. They walked to the side door, hand in hand. The Alpha kissed his hand. Dean put his arms around Castiel’s neck and leaned in to kiss him goodbye when the door whipped open and John barreled out of there.

Castiel put an arm around his waist and pulled him back so that John didn’t knock Dean over. Dean looked at his father. “Where’re you going, dad?”

“Sorry, I’m late for a meeting,” John told him and rushed to his car.

Dean exchanged a look with Cas and watched as he peeled out of the driveway. “Wonder what that was about.”

Castiel shrugged. “Don’t know.” He claimed his mouth. “See you in a little while, Baby.”

“Okay. Can’t wait.”

They kissed, lingered over it and then Castiel got into his car and headed home.

* * *

The moon was high in the sky, shining a gray-white glow spotlight on the snow that covered the ground as more snow fell to recover from the melting it had done earlier in the day when the sun had shone. Castiel sat in his room, looking out his large window watching the snowflakes. He'd been sitting here trying to decide if the urge to shift and run as his wolf was worth the beating that he would get later.

_Our Omega is worth everything. Beating or not, we made a promise._

His inner wolf was talking to him and he was right. They made a promise to Dean that they’d be there, so there was no more to think about.

Whenever he shifted and his family found out one of them would beat him harshly. And sometimes if they were from his brothers or his dad they were incredibly bad. He knew that the beatings were to deter him from shifting, but they never seemed to do it. When he tried to explain it to Gabriel after he would patch him up yet again he told him he better learn to control the wolf in him because if he keeps getting beatings he could die. His parents were afraid for their image of having a child who was a shifter. Since he was a child he was able to shift and ever since he loved how it made him feel connected to their ascendants. It also made him feel connected to himself. When he was his wolf he could get far away from his life as possible and not have to worry about anything until he came back home.

Despite knowing that the beating would come, Castiel fighting the instinct to explore and took his clothes off. He closed his eyes and as if he was giving his wolf permission to come forth his body began to change. His nose elongated has his wolf's head began to take shape. As his limbs grew into their wolf form he bent forward and the transition continued. Soon, he could see himself in the mirror and snuffed at his reflection. With his paw, he pushed the window open and hopped out.

His bedroom was on the second floor of the large mansion so it wasn't that much of a jump, not in his wolf form. He did just that.

Unbeknownst to him, Gabriel walked into his room to ask him if he wanted to watch the Christmas movie on TV, but he was greeted with the clothes on the floor and the window open. He looked out the big window and saw the beautiful black wolf running across the snow-covered ground. Gabriel sighed as he heard his brother's howl toward the full moon. “Oh, Cas...”

* * *

Dean, in wolf form, paced the altar waiting for his Alpha. He was only a few minutes later, but Cas’ words about being in trouble when he shifted got him worried that maybe a member of the family caught him.

_“Hello, Dean.”_

Dean turned and relief washed over him. He rushed to the Alpha and nuzzled him. _“I thought your family was preventing you from meeting me.”_

He shook his head. _“No. Mom’s at a meeting and dad’s having a business meeting or something with Michael, Lucifer and an associate. Raphael’s out on a date with one of his many Omega conquests and Gabriel was clearing out his DVR.”_

He nuzzled closer. He sighed. _“It feels so weird when you have to go home.”_

 _“I know, it feels weird to me too.”_ He licked him. _“Let’s do this._ ”

Dean nodded his head. They walked up to the altar and Cas looked at him. _“What does your grandpa usually say?”_

_“The usual stuff. ‘Today, we are here to celebrate the love, commitment and bond that is shared between….’then whomever the couple is. He then has us confirm that we’re making this decision on our own ability. That’s just to assure that the omega isn’t being forced or vice versa.”_

_“Is there anything before that?”_

_“There can be, but usually the couple is happy with the traditional vows. But I want to say something to you when we do it.”_

_“Me too,” Castiel said._

_“What would yours say?”_

_“Um...I don’t know. Probably something like...Dean, I have loved you for as long as I can remember and it gr_ _ow_ _s stronger and stronger with each day. I pledge to love you forever, to be open, honest and faithful to you. To nurture your spirit and support your dreams. To honor your thoughts and feelings. I promise to stand with you as we share this life.” He smiled. “What would you say?”_

Dean thought about it for a minute and their eyes locked. _“Cas, I don’t remember a time that I didn’t love you. Hell, if you ever doubted my feelings, just remember I tried to mate with you when we were kids. Of course then, I missed my mark, but the intent was there. I stand here with more love than I ever know how to express and I promise you everlasting love, understanding and hope for the tomorrows yet to come.”_

Castiel came to him and licked his face. They nuzzled, rubbing their necks on each other. They knew they were more than likely scent marking each other but they didn’t care.

They all but married right now.

* * *

With the moon slightly shifted in the night sky, and Castiel practically floating on a cloud of love and happiness, he jumped through the open downstairs window without much thought and prepared to pull himself out of the shift when he felt a hard punch to his head. He yelped. Excruciating pain took his breath away and knocked him to the floor. He felt the kick to his stomach and ribs like an explosion.

“You just won't listen will you, You Stupid, Stupid Alpha!”

Ahh, so this time it was Lucifer laying out the punishments. Which could only mean one thing. This time it was going to be worse than anything Michael had given him or even Raphael. Lucifer was even worse than his father's blows. It's like he took some kind of sick pleasure in seeing him in pain.

“The fact that...” another kick, “...you can shift...” this time a blow with something hard, “...is a disgrace upon this family...” he kicked and punched him again. “Do you...” when Castiel felt the kick to his ribs he was sure they were broken this time, “...think I want to be...” a punch to his snout and his stomach as he finished, “...related to a disgusting dog?!”

When Cas came to he was still on the floor in front of the side entrance, but he hadn't shifted out of his wolf yet. He rolled and whimpered.

“Hey, hey, hey,” the scent of cotton candy hitting his nose before his brain registered it was his brother, Gabriel. He came toward him. “Cassie, don't.” He looked him in the eyes. “You need to shift out of your wolf so I can see your injuries. I can't see them under all the fur.”

Even though shifting into the wolf was easy, shifting out of it while injured was difficult. He cried out in pain as he full shifted. Gabriel wrapped him in the throw blanket and helped him to his feet. The whole time Castiel was crying out in pain at the movement. “Oh, God...” he whispered. “He might have broken a rib or a few.”

Gabriel sighed. “Why don't you just stop shifting?” he asked as he carefully took his brother to the stairs.

“Evening, Novaks,” a familiar voice said. “I think I have a proposition that will satisfy my debt to you.”

Castiel looked at his brother. “Is that Mr. Winchester?”

Gabriel nodded. “Let's get you up to bed.”

“What's Mr. Winchester doing here?”

“I don't know,” Gabriel said softly. “We're not supposed to know.”

Instead of saying anything to Gabriel's comment, he turned and walked to the laundry room. He changed into one of his pajamas sets that he had just washed, then slowly walked into toward his father's office. Gabriel quickly chased after his brother. “Castiel, you can't!”

“Shh,” he whispered and stopped at the door. He listened.

“What's your proposition?” Zachariah Novak asked the man standing in front of him. “It better be good because according to my sons you owe them a lot of money.”

Castiel saw John nod his head. “I'm offering that we arrange for one of your sons to marry and mate my Omega son, Dean.”


	8. Chapter 8

Castiel stared at the older man in shock for full 3 seconds. His heart hammered hard in his chest as John continued, “Please don't worry about my son complying to the arrangement. He'll do as I request him to do. However, if we agree then my debt to your boys is wiped clean and we go about our lives.”

Zachariah looked at the other man. He was impressed with his ability to negotiate. He looked at Michael and Raphael. Raphael gave him a curt nod. He turned back to John. “All right, John. We'll agree to the terms.” He looked at both boys, but before he could ask Michael said,

“I'll marry the young Omega.” He looked at John and said, “It'd be an honor to mate with your son, Mr. Winchester.”

“You can't let him do that!” he exclaimed. “You know what will happen if he does.”

Zachariah, John and Castiel’s brother turned to look at the young Alpha. “Excuse me, Castiel?” Michael asked primly.

Castiel knew how he looked but he knew he couldn't let the guy he loved be pawned off on his brother either, because if Michael and Dean mated then Michael would take away one of the many things Castiel loved about the guy...his independence. So, without much thought about what it would look like, he immediately repeated, “You can't...” he winced as he felt his lungs twinge a little bit.

“Castiel, what are you doing in here? You know when I'm with an associate--”

“Sorry, father, pardon the intrusion, but Michael can't mate with Dean.”

John looked at the teenager. He could barely stand as he walked to an upholstered chair to help hold him up. Ignoring what was going on right now he looked at him. “Castiel, are you alright?”

He slowly took a breath before saying anything. “I'm fine, Mr. Winchester.” He looked at his father then shifted his eyes to his boyfriend’s father. “My brother and I had a disagreement.”

“A disagreement? It looks like you went several rounds with Mike Tyson and lost.”

Zachariah immediately stepped in. “You know how boys are I'm sure.”

He nodded. “I do,” he said. “But my boys don't come to blows where it looks like this.” He looked at Castiel. “Are you sure you're okay, Castiel?”

He nodded. “Promise.” He looked at his father. “Sir, he can't marry Dean because...” his voice trailed off as he clutched his side again. “...it’d be wrong, for several reasons.”

John looked nervous.

Castiel looked at Mr. Winchester and then his father, “However, for obvious reasons, I'll do it.”

That got laughs from Castiel's older brothers and Castiel winced when he attempted to comment.

John looked at the boy again. Not even acknowledging the Novaks further he looked at Castiel. “May I look at it, please?”

He nodded slowly. This seriously felt worse than the other times he had been beaten. He winced when the Alpha gently pulled up the thermal pajama shirt. His dark eyes went to Castiel's blue ones. “Were you shifted when this beating happened?”

He nodded. John nodded. “Well, if a beating this bad happened while you were shifted then you need to shift back, Son. Let your healing abilities take over.”

“Not in my house!”

“Father,” Castiel said raising his voice a little. “As much as I would love to especially if it will make the pain lessen, I can't do that. Not in this house again.” He took a slow breath, closing his eyes. He turned to his father, opened his eyes. “Do we have a deal?”

Zachariah nodded. “Yes,” he said firmly.

He looked at his father. “You’ll wipe, Mr. Winchester’s debt from the card games?”

Zachariah nodded.

“Mr. Winchester? Do we have a deal?” Castiel held out his hand to his soon-to-be father-in-law. The older man nodded his. “Great,” he groaned. “Then this is what I want.” He looked at John. “Does the compound have a bank account or something?”

He nodded. “We do. Why?”

“Can you get the routing information?”

He nodded. “My father has that information. Why?”

“Because I’m going home to Dean.” He looked at his father. His eyes narrowed at the jerk. “I want to make sure that I get everything that is due to me as a Novak, but I want to contribute also. The only way to do that with me being in school for another year and a half or so is to make sure my inheritance goes to you guys.”

He nodded and smiled. “Alright.”

Castiel nodded. He turned to his father. “This is what I want. My inheritance... _ **all**_ of it. You can divide the ownership of the company in four ways. I no longer want anything to do with it. However, as a Novak, I'm still keeping my shares. Which you will give me automatic income to help support the compound and Dean since we’re both in school.” He looked at his father. “And once I'm officially out of this house I wish to never see you again because any father who would beat their child for being something they had no control over isn't a man I want to associate myself with.”

Zachariah nodded. “Fine. Do what you want, Castiel. However, you will not leave here with any expensive purchases, am I clear?”

“Crystal, Father.” He winced again and he exhaled. “I’m sure I can make a store run to get what I need to finish school.”

Zachariah nodded. He looked at Castiel then John. “I want proof that you and Dean are mated so I'll be staying until the morning after the ceremony.”

John nodded. “You'll have to stay in one of the guest homes we have on the property. My father only allows the Alpha family to stay in the main house.”

As much as Castiel didn’t want to, he shifted back to his wolf form and stumbled. Gabriel reached for his brother. He looked up at the Alpha. “Are you sure he’s gonna be safe there?”

He nodded. Castiel turned his head into Gabriel and nuzzled. John smiled, “He just said that he promises he’ll be just fine. He’s been there.”

Zachariah looked down at his son. “You’ve been to Arcadia.”

John nodded. “Yes, A few times over the years.” He looked at the other man. “You should ask your wife. Since it was her father who brought him.”

He glared at the floor. “I’ll do that.”

Gabriel knelt wrapped his arms around his neck. “I’m sorry I couldn’t help you, Cassie.”

Castiel took his muzzle and nuzzled his brother. John looked at the shorter brother and asked, “Will you pack some clothes for him, please? And get his books?”

Gabriel nodded and headed upstairs. John sighed. He looked at Zachariah. Knowing he’d have to play this just right to get the right answers he needed, he asked, “So, do you beat him often?”

“Only when he turns into the ugly mutt,” Zachariah sneered.

“So, this time he shifted and what? You beat him bloody?”

Michael scoffed. “He’s had worse before.”

Gabriel came back downstairs with the bag on his shoulder. John smiled. “Okay, let’s get him into the SUV.”

The shorter man nodded. They gently lifted him up and started for the door.

* * *

John and Gabriel helped Castiel into the back of his SUV and Gabriel wrapped him in his favorite throw blanket. “I'll see you tomorrow, Little Brother. You get better, okay?”

His response was a soft bark. Gabriel smiled and kissed his snout. “Love you, Little Brother.” Castiel laid his head down. “Just rest. It's gonna be a few minutes drive to your new home. Just rest.”

John shook hands with the shorter man and said his goodbyes. He got into the SUV and tapped the contact for the main house. He smiled when Dean answered, “Hey, Dean. I'm bringing a wolf home. One you’ve gotten attached to I hear.”

“You’re bringing Cas home?” He questioned. “What’s wrong?”

“He's been severely injured. I'm gonna need help getting him into the healing wing.”

“Okay, dad. Grandpa and I will be ready to help you.

“Have your brother there too. He can help.” He hung up the phone and said, “Just relax, Castiel. We'll be home soon, I promise.”

* * *

Castiel did just that.

It was about a 15 minute drive from his house to the Compound. John pulled up toward the garage and parked. He moved around to the back of the SUV as Dean and Henry wheeled a gurney toward him. He looked at his son and father and said, “Be careful with him. He's got a few broken ribs.”

Dean nodded. He moved to the back and ran a hand down wolf's fur. He smiled. “Hey, Handsome.” He bent down and kissed his head. “We're gonna move you now. It might hurt, so just hang in there, okay?”

The wolf turned his head and their eyes met. Dean’s heart stuttered. He felt the butterflies in his belly by the look in the wolf's eyes. He smelled warm pumpkin and cinnamon, smirking he soothed him. Before he could do or say anything Sam walked up. He looked at his brother. “Support his middle,” he ordered. Dean looked at his grandfather. “Grab his legs, Grandpa.”

The older Alpha did as he said and gently took his legs. Dean gently wedged his hands under top part of the wolf. On 3 they lifted and quickly moved him to the gurney. The ebony wolf whimpered and cried. Something in Dean submitted to his Omega instincts and as soon as they laid him on the gurney he began soothing him. “I know it hurts, Baby. I’m so sorry.”

They wheeled him inside and Dean looked at his dad. “What happened to him?”

"Apparently, they've been beating him when he shifts."

"What?" Mary asked, appalled. "Why would they do something like that?"

“God damn it,” Dean muttered. “I knew it.”

Castiel answered telepathically, “ _Because they may have the shifter gene in them but they aren't shifters and it's embarrassing to have one. They think we should all be euthanized.”_

“That's disgusting,” 12-year-old Sam said.

They got into the medical building and into the healing unit. They transferred him to another bed, a more comfortable bed. Mary stroked his head and moved down his body. Dean stopped her. “Careful, Mom. He's got broken ribs.”

She nodded. She leaned over and kissed his head. “I’m so sorry that you went through this, Sweetheart.”

_“_ _It’s okay. I’ll heal. I always have.”_

“Still doesn’t make it right, Sweetheart,” Millie told him as she prepared the X-ray machine.

John looked at his father, Dean and Mary. “We need to talk, please.”

They nodded. They walked out of the room and John closed the door while Millie worked on him. He looked at both Omegas, then at his father. “You're going to be angry with me when I tell you this, but please, know that I am profusely sorry for what I did.”

Dean looked at his father, then at his grandfather. This didn’t sound good. He'd done something. He could tell. He exhaled. Which makes the statement he said to him about how much he loved him make more sense. He folded his arms in front of him. “What did you do?”

"I went there because I did something I shouldn't have a few weeks ago.” He looked at Mary. He looked at his father. “I gambled. I played poker with Zachariah Novak's oldest boys, Michael and Raphael. I lost a lot of money.” He sighed.

 _“_ _ **YOU LIED TO ME?!**_ _”_ Henry yelled. “ _ **YOU TOLD ME YOU WEREN’T DOING THAT, JOHN!**_ _”_

Dean sighed. “I don’t know if I wanna know this.” He had never heard his grandfather that angry before. Henry Winchester never yelled. If he did he was livid.

“Out of desperation because I didn't want you two to find out.” He looked at his wife and his father. “I offered for you to mate one of his sons to get us out of it--"

All 3 of them exclaimed, " _You did what?!_ "

John held up his hands. "Let me finish before you give me a tongue lashing," he said to his father. He took a deep breath and began again, "However, Castiel must have been listening because he came in and said that to fulfill his parents' side of the agreement he'd do it knowing all the while that they'd agree because you both are shifters." He sighed. "I had to get him out of there. I was afraid if he stayed they would have killed him."

The smell of bitter vanilla and nutmeg filled the air as nostrils flared in anger. John and Mary watched him as he paced up and down the corridor. “I know you may be angry--”

“May be angry?” Dean asked, fuming. His body vibrated with rage. “Dad, I'm more than angry. I'm pissed!” he exclaimed. “You sold me because you're too much of a damn coward to face mom and tell her that you started gambling again.” He glared at him. “Let me guess you started drinking again too?”

“I don't care how pissed you are, you will not speak to me that way!”

Henry stepped between his grandson and his son. “No, John, keep your voice down!” He looked at Dean. “I know you’re angry and you have every right to be, but I promise that I will deal with him.”

Millie came out of the room. “Dean, honey, Castiel needs his Omega.” She smiled. “Is that still you?”

Dean exhaled. He smiled and looked at his grandmother. “I will be right there, grandma.” He shot one last glare to his father and then walked into the room.

John stepped toward Mary and she baked up. “No. I don't care how sorry you are. What you did is unforgivable right now.”

“Mary--”

“You sold our son! You sold him to get yourself out of debt!” she screamed. “I thought...I never thought you'd do something like that!” She folded her arms in front of her. “How much did Castiel get him for?”

“He didn't,” John told her.

“What do you mean? Are we in debt to the Novaks or not?”

“I was,” he conceded. “However, Castiel said he'd give it back to the compound when his first shares money comes in.”

“Shares money?” Henry asked.

He nodded. “Yeah. The deal we struck with Zachariah he signed away his ownership of Novak Technologies but kept the shares his father gave them when they were born. He's having about seventy-five percent of what he makes transferred into the Compound's account and has asked my permission to ask Dean if he can put his name on his account too.”

“You will do no such thing,” Henry said, fuming, rotting sandalwood filling the air. “I’ll talk to Castiel about the financial obligations he feels he needs to do. However, I’ll talk to them both about the dual accounts.” He glared at him. When it comes to Dean and this whole arrangement. You no longer have a say.”

“Dad, come--”

“NO!” He yelled. “You tried to sell my grandson to a family who hates shifters, John! That’s not right! Not right at all. This is all your fault. You’re a weak Alpha who gives in to temptation too much!” He exhaled. “How many times have I told you to not play unless you can pay for it that night before you leave?”

“I know--”

Henry held up a hand and his son stopped talking. He looked at his daughter-in-law. “Go ahead and head back to the house, Sweetheart. I think your husband and I need to have a talk.”

Mary nodded. She looked at her watch. “I'm tired.” She sighed. “You're sleeping on the couch tonight. Goodnight, Winchester.”

“Mary, come on--”

“No. You’ve gone too far this time, John. Either straighten up or...I don’t know….” At a lost, Mary walked out of the medical building.

* * *

In the Healing Room, Dean smoothed a hand down Cas' fury torso. “Hey, man. You'll be okay, I promise.” He looked at his grandmother. “So, how's my favorite furball?”

Millie, who had light brown hair like Dean's at one time, but it was now graying. His green eyes came from her too. She smiled and that smile went to the matching green eyes. “He'll be okay. I think if he stays in wolf form until daybreak he'll be just fine. You know what could maybe help him heal a little faster.”

He rolled his eyes. “Grandma, I know you want to see me mated but I don't think sex--”

“No, not sex, Green Eyes. Even though that could do it. I was meaning if you shifted and cuddled with him too. Having an Omega close like that will help him a lot, but having your Omega will help even more.”

Dean looked down at his injured Alpha. He was breathing hard that was evident by the heaving chest and the slight whimpers when he would breathe a little too hard. He smoothed his hand down the fluffy ebony fur. “Oh, Baby...” he looked at his grandmother. “I’ll do it, Grandma.” He walked up to her and kissed the top of her head. “I love you, Grandma. Sleep well. I’ve got the Alpha from here.”

She laughed. “All right, Sweetheart. I love you.”

He tapped Cas' torso softly. “Be back in a minute, Cas.”

After Dean stripped and shifted, he hopped up onto the bed. He got comfy and snuggled into the Alpha. “Goodnight, Cas.”

* * *

The next morning, Cas awoke to the scent of warm vanilla and nutmeg. He rolled on his back and winced slightly. He saw a beautiful light brown-furred wolf lightly snoring away next to him. He moaned and sat up. When he sat up he saw a beautiful woman standing at the foot of his bed going over a clipboard with a blond. The woman slid her eyes up to his and his heart thudded for a second. Those are Dean's eyes. He quickly shifted into human form and covered himself up. “Good morning, Millie.”

She smiled. “Good morning, Castiel.”

As he looked at the older woman one fact struck him. His Omega got his eyes from her. "They're identical."

She blinked, a little surprised. "What is?"

"Yours and Dean's eyes are crazily identical."

She laughed softly. “The hair's from me too. Not that you can tell all that much anymore.”

He laughed softly. “You look beautiful, Millie and as long as Henry loves you as much if not more than when you mated with him then that's all that matters.”

She laughed. “Right you are.” She started examining him. “Well, the bruising has lessened and later after the younger kids go to school we'll run some x-rays and figure it out.”

He nodded. “Sounds good.” He smoothed a hand down the wolf's furred torso. He petted a hand down his torso again and the wolf opened his eyes. “Good morning, Dean.”

_Good morning, Cas. Sleep well?_

“Very. Thank you.”

“Hey, Handsome,” she tapped Dean lightly on the hind leg. “You gotta get up for school. Move that cute Winchester butt of yours and go hit the showers.”

He huffed at her. _I did her one favor and she thinks she can boss me around._

Cas laughed softly. “Like it was a total hardship.”

He smirked. “ _Horrible_.” He licked his hand. Dean turned his wolf's head and looked at her. “ _I don't think I'm gonna go. Cas might...”_

“Castiel will be fine, Green Eyes. I promise and he'll be here when you come home.”

Dean huffed again. Cas smiled. “Go to school for me and you can tell me how bad Mr. Redfield's tie is and how bad his test was.”

Dean looked into his eyes. Something seemed to pass between the 2 of them at that moment. Finally, Dean answered, _Okay, Cas, but dad or grandpa will be by later to have you sign something for school.”_

“I’ll be here.” He watched Millie wander off and he said, “Waking up next to you has got to be the greatest thing in the world, My Omega.”

He licked Cas' hand. _“_ _And just think you get the next ninety years or so with me_ _to do just that_ _. Hopefully, I don’t bug you too much.”_

“Never could happen.”

Dean shifted quickly and took the towel his grandmother handed him. “Say that in about thirty years, Alpha.” He kissed him deeply.

* * *

Dean parked the SUV in a front slot at the back parking lot of the school. Everyone began piling out promising to meet each other for lunch. Dean slid out of the SUV and picked up his bag. A piece of paper fluttered out of the front pocket and Dean picked it up. He knew that it was a letter from Zachariah about Castiel living with them now and giving legal guardianship signing power to his grandfather. Although what had caught his attention was:

_My son, Castiel James Novak, of the very prestigious Novak family of Kansas, has chosen Dean Winchester of Arcadia Pack as his Omega. Under an agreement with High Alpha Henry Winchester, he and I have decided to let the arrangement stand. So as Castiel's former Alpha I have given him and the Winchester Pack full decision power._

His stomach twisted.

It was an arrangement.

He exhaled and continued to read the letter. It was all standard. He walked into school and smiled at Rowena, the pretty redhead at the front desk. “Hi, Rowena, how are you?”

“I'm well,” she said, her Irish accent strong. “How about you?”

“I'm good,” he said and handed her the note. “You want to give this to Mr. Blake for me, please?"

She nodded. "Absolutely."

"Mr. Winchester, what do I owe the pleasure?"

He knew that Mr. Blake didn't mean that. In actuality, the hoity-toity asshole couldn't stand him. "Um...I was told by my grandfather to give you this." He held it out to him. He waited for the Beta Principal to read it then he said, "I will need access to Castiel's locker and if you could inform his teachers that I'll be taking his homework home with me every day until he comes back."

He finished reading the letter, then folded it, but didn’t meet his gaze. "So, I see," he murmured in his high and mighty way. He looked Dean up and down and turned to Rowena. "Please, give Mr. Winchester the information he requires, Ms. McLeod." He turned his head back to Dean. "Then get to class."

He nodded. "Yes, sir."

She waited for Mr. Blake to go into his office and typed Castiel’s information into the computer. She printed out his class schedule and wrote down his locker number and the combination. “There you go.”

“Thank you,” he said and left the office. He adjusted his backpack and looked at the teenager’s class. He chuckled. He wasn’t kidding when he said we had the same classes except for two. He walked to Cas’ locker and quickly did the combination to unlock it. He opened it and looked inside. He turned his head and his heart stopped, then thudded in his chest.

On the door of the locker was a picture of him and Cas when they were in Mrs. Moseley’s Preschool class. He smiled and touched the dark-haired boy in the picture. He sighed. He didn’t see anything he’d have to grab for now and closed the locker. He headed for Redfield’s US History class.

Dean never paid attention to the fact that Meg and Hannah were eyeing him suspiciously. Meg turned to face her friend. “What do you suppose he was doing in Castiel’s locker?”

“I don’t know,” Hannah muttered watching the Omega walk into class. “But maybe we should find out.”

Meg nodded in agreement as she headed for class.

* * *

At lunchtime, Dean walked to his locker and tossed his books inside. He walked to Cas’ locker and pulled out another binder. He pulled a Post-It from the dispenser hanging on the locker door and wrote down what was said for class so he could do the homework. He slipped it into the folder that Cas told him was for homework.

“So, Dog, what’s with breaking into Castiel’s locker?”

Dean scoffed. “That’d be funnier if it was true.” He flashed the combination. “But I have permission. Not only from Cas, but from Mr. Blake too.”

Hannah rolled her eyes. “So, what lie did you tell Blake for him to give it to you?”

“What makes you think it’s a lie?”

“Well, from your kind, I wouldn’t past you.” Meg leaned against the closed locker. “So, if I called him he’d tell me what?”

“Uh...that I have his permission to get his homework for him?”

The girls laughed. “Right,” Hannah snarked. “Zachariah would never let a mongrel like you in his house.”

Dean’s heart twinged. That hurt. Of course, he never showed it and he learned how to mask his scent so it wouldn’t give him away. However, it hurt what they called him and other Shifters. All they wanted was to live their lives, nothing more. “So, I guess I wouldn’t be giving it to him there.”

“What gives you the right? Hannah demanded. “It’s not like he’s your Alpha.”

“He is actually.” He shut the locker and turned to leave.

Meg wrapped her hand around his wrist and squeezed. “I have to give you credit, Dean. However, you figured out that Clarence was in love you, you work pretty fast. You couldn’t have picked a better breeder.”

He looked into her dark eyes and something had him wondering if Meg knew that from experience. He pulled his wrist free and walked out into the vestibule for privacy. He sighed and sat down on the stone bench there. He pulled his phone out and found the Arcadia medical house. His finger hovered over the contact. Would it be to ‘chick-flicky’ for him to tell Cas about his friends?

_Do it!_

He still sat there, his finger hovering over the contact.

Outside in the hall, Jo and Charlie both saw Dean sitting there. Charlie saw the look on the guys’ face and she pulled her to her. “Jo, I think he’s upset,” she whispered.

Jo nodded. They walked into the vestibule and walked to the Omega. “Hey, Dean, you okay?”

He sighed. “Not really. I’m trying to figure out if I should call Cas or not and tell him that his friends are being mean.”

“Well, if my opinion counts I can tell you as an Alpha I’d like it if my Omega told me things like that,” Jo admitted.

He nodded. He exhaled hard. “Okay. Give me a few minutes?”

They nodded and walked out of the vestibule, they waited. Dean punched the contact with his thumb. He put the phone to his ear and waited.

“Medical Building,” he heard his grandmother’s voice say.

“Hey, grandma.”

She smiled, her green eyes sliding to the Alpha who would be leaving the medical center soon. “Hey, Green-Eyes! What do we owe the pleasure of your phone call?”

“May I speak to Cas, please?”

“Absolutely, honey.” She frowned. “Dean, Baby, are you okay?”

“I’m fine, grandma.” he exhaled softly.

She passed Castiel the phone. “It’s Dean. He seems upset.”

Castiel nodded and took the phone from her. “Hello, Dean.”

His stomach fluttered at the sound of his voice. “Hey, Babe, um...how’re you feeling?”

“I’m okay, Sweetheart, but that’s not why you called.” He sighed softly. “Baby, I can’t fix it until you tell me what happened.”

“It’s stupid,” he muttered.

“Dean...”

He exhaled heavily. He hated feeling vulnerable. He began telling him what happened. “They make it sound like I’m only with you because you could give me pretty babies.” He exhaled. “I don’t think they believe you’re a wolf?”

Castiel sighed and rubbed his forehead. “Oh, Baby, I’m so sorry. I’ll talk to them. I promise.”

He wondered if it would help though. He cleared his throat. “Okay, thanks,” he said quickly, adding, “I love you and thanks. I’ll see you later.”

Cas almost laughed with what sounded like a struggle for the Omega to get it out. He quickly said, “Dean.”

The teen didn’t say anything in response as he heard Dean let out a little gasp. “I love you. Just remember that. Whatever Meg and Hannah say to you, just remember that I love you and it doesn’t matter to me what they think, okay?”

He nodded. “Okay.” He hung up.

Cas looked at the receiver and sighed. He hit the toggle to get the dial tone. He dialed Meg’s number and waited. She answered a few minutes later, “Hey Clarence.”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“What are you talking about? I’m sitting here eating lunch. You’re the one playing hooky.”

“I’m not playing hooky, Meg. I’ve had an accident. I’m recuperating.”

She glared over at Dean as he walked in. “What did that Omega do to you, Clarence?”

“Who, Dean? He didn’t do anything, Meg.”

“Right. You’re laid up at home because…?”

“I told you and besides I’m not at home. I’m at Arcadia.”

“You’re at the Dog pound?”

He rolled his eyes. “I really wish you wouldn’t call it that.” He looked up to see Henry walk in and he smiled. “This is my home now, Meg. And they are my pack and if High Alpha Henry agrees to it Dean and I will be mated before summer starts, so if you want to continue our friendship then I suggest you learn to get over it and adjust to the fact that your so-called best friend has other things to worry about than who you’re insulting this week.” He exhaled. “Leave Dean alone, okay? He hasn’t done anything to either of you. If I see or hear from anyone within my pack that you’re mistreating him, Meg, our friendship is done. Do I make myself clear?”

“Cas, come on--”

“Do I make myself clear?” he growled.

“Yes,” she replied obediently.

“Good. I have to go High Alpha Henry would like to speak to me. Goodbye.” He hung up and looked at Henry. “Sorry about that. Dean told me that she and Hannah weren’t being very nice to him--”

“They never are,” Henry told him. He shook his head. “We’ll talk about that later. That’s not why I’m here.” He sat down. “I’m here—not only to check up on you—but to have a talk with you about this arrangement that my child and your father agreed to.”

He nodded. “Okay, sir.”

“First, I’d like to say, Arcadia is officially your home.” he showed him the registration certificate. “So, Welcome, Castiel. We’ll have an induction ceremony for you, to celebrate.”

Cas took the certificate from the man. “Wow...” he murmured. “That was faster than I thought.”

He chuckled. “That’s because I expedited it. I wanted to get you out of there before what I suspected was happening would happen again.” He sighed. “I was too late.”

Castiel smiled. “It’s okay, Henry. I’m here. There’s nothing to worry about now.”

He nodded. “Well, as such, I have put in an inquiry for discipline with the Council. Not for just offering up my grandson, but I’m also doing it for you. What your family has been doing isn’t right and they need to be punished for it. They’ll be here sometime next week. However, as John’s father and his High Alpha, I have a punishment I need to dole out first.”

“Good luck.”

Henry smiled. “I’ve decided that if it’s okay with you and especially Dean then I’ll approve of this mating.”

Cas’ jaw hit the floor. “You are?”

“Yes,” Henry answered. “However, discuss it with Dean and get back to me, okay?”

He nodded. “I promise.”

Henry smiled and kissed the top of his head. “It’s good to have you home, Castiel.”

He smiled. He realized at that moment that Arcadia felt like his home, totally.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean's horrible school day
> 
> It gets better when he gets home. Destiel smut...in 3...2...1...ENJOY!!

Dean pulled the backpack up on his shoulder and quickly walked out of school. After lunch school didn’t get much better for the Omega. Meg and Hannah didn’t seem to take a hint, especially with Castiel calling like Dean had a feeling that he would. In fact, their interrogations and insults got worse since Cas called Meg. He walked to the van and unlocked it just as the others approached too.

“So, Deano, do you miss your Alpha?”

He looked up to see Jo smirking at him all knowingly. “No,” he muttered. _Liar_ , a voice said. He was lying, he did miss Cas immensely. It was weird to not see him at school. The Alpha never missed school, accept when he was in Rut. Truthfully the last few days of them hanging out had it feeling like when they were inseparable. Their friendship had snagged with the birthday party, then came to an end when they manifested. That seemed to be when he had lost the only person he truly trusted besides Sam.

He didn’t even tell Benny the things he told Castiel.

He looked at the others and commanded, “Just get in the damn van. We gotta pick up the munchkins.” He slid into the driver’s seat and slammed his door shut. He took a few minutes to himself before pulling out of the parking spot then the parking lot. All he wanted to do was get home. He didn’t mind admitting—at least to himself—that he wanted to get to home Cas and just _**be**_ with him. Not that he would admit that out loud, not to anyone else anyway.

He stopped at the middle school and the kids loaded into the van. He knew that someone would pick up the elementary school kids, but he was asked to drive the high schoolers and middle schoolers to school everyday. About 10 minutes later, he pulled up to the gate of Arcadia. He punched in a code and the gate opened. He pulled up to the garage and threw it into park. Everyone piled out happily and Dean picked up his backpack and headed for the medical building.

“DEAN!”

Dean looked over and saw his grandmother at the backdoor. “Yes, ma’am?”

“Castiel’s not in the clinic anymore, Sweetheart.”

“Where is he?”

“He’s in here with us,” she said, smiling. “Actually he’s upstairs in your room.”

He nodded and turned, walking in with Sam. He pulled his boots off and took his jacket off. He hung it on the hook in the mudroom and walked inside.

“Dean.”

He turned and he sighed when he saw his dad. “Dad, I’m really not in the mood to hear your excuses as to why you did what you did. I’ve had a really shitty day at school and I just want to go check on Cas.”

“But Dean, we should--”

“John, you heard him,” Millie told her only son. “He’s not in the mood.” She looked at Dean and said, “Go ahead, Baby. I’ll call you both down when we finish dinner. We’ll be eating it in the dining hall.”

“Yes ma’am.” He headed upstairs and walked into the room. His room was more like a suite. It had a large TV for group movie nights with seating area, then an archway that led to his very large king-sized bed and the Alpha he knew who’d be in it. He dropped his bag by the archway and walked through to the bedroom. Cas was sitting in the bed, covered up, the fire was roaring in the fireplace and the TV above the mantle was on a crime show of some sort.

He walked in, climbed on the bed and crawled to him, laying his head on Cas’ chest like he had always done up until...his parents discrimination tore them apart. Castiel looked down at the teenager, a little surprised by his sudden need to cuddle. He put his arm around him. “Are you okay?”

Dean shook his head. “No,” he murmured softly.

“Do you wanna tell me about it?”

He nodded into Cas’ abs. “Your friends hate me,” he said simply into his bare abs. He sighed and said, “It was sweet that you tried to stop your friends, but it didn’t help. It made things worse.”

“What?” Cas said, annoyed. “How did it make it worse?”

He sighed with a groan. “Because they believe I’m lying when I said you were here. They think that you’re being forced to stay here, Cas. That we’re like holding you hostage or something. Not to mention, the dog insults were worse after you talked to them.” He sighed. “That there wouldn’t be any chance in hell you’d be interested in me.” The dump continued until he was in tears, which annoyed him even more.

“They have no idea how much their insults hurt,” Dean murmured. “They have no idea that it chips away at you just a little bit when you’re called a ‘mut’ or a ‘dog’ or even a ‘puppy’. They just see the fact that we can shift into a wolf and it starts.” He sighed. “They don’t think you can shift, Cas. Hannah told me. She thinks you’re being forced to say that you can shift.”

Cas sighed. “Baby.”

“What?” he murmured into Cas’ warm naked skin.

“Look at me, please.”

He lifted his head and looked up at him. Cas smiled and caressed his cheek. His heart swelled. “I love you.” He never thought the words expressed it enough. The feelings he had for Dean ran deeper than ‘love’.

Dean sighed, feeling lifted by those words. “I love you.” He lifted himself and looked into his face. “More than I’ll ever be able to express.”

“Me too,” Cas murmured. He wiped the tears from his eyes. “I’m so sorry that they did that to you. I’m sorry they said those things to you.” His heart hurt. “I’m sorry they upset you.” He leaned forward and took Dean’s mouth. He pulled back softly. “Stop calling them my friends please? My friends wouldn’t insult the man I love and they wouldn’t insult my pack.”

Dean looked into his eyes and his air swooshed out softly. He really meant that. He carefully straddled him, took his face in his hands and kissed him deeply. Cas let the Omega kiss him as he cuffed his wrists. He dropped his hands, pulled him closer and deepened the kiss. He wrapped his arm around Dean’s waist and flipped him onto his back, his lips never leaving Dean’s.

Dean smiled into his mouth and let him deepen the kiss. Dean felt the warmth of the kiss heat his blood and his cock hardened. He wrapped one arm around Cas’ waist, holding him close and the other one went into his unruly hair. He moaned as Cas’ lips fell on his neck. “Mmm…Cas, that feels good...”

“Good,” he said hoarsely as he continued down his neck, around his throat, and to the other side.

“Do your ribs hurt?” he asked.

Cas looked up at him. “I’m kissing you and you’re asking about my ribs.”

“Only because I want to do something, but you need to be under me,” he admitted.

He smiled and kissed him soundly. “They’re twinging a little but not like before.” He smiled down at him. He adjusted so that the Omega could flip him.

“Good.”

As predicted Cas found himself underneath the Omega. Dean looked down at him and he knew that look in the Alpha’s eyes. That was the look of a guy who actually really truly loved him. He remembered seeing that look when they were younger too. He knew immediately what he wanted. “Let’s have sex,” he murmured.

Cas’ eyes narrowed thoughtfully and he flipped him onto his back. “Are you sure? I don’t want you to feel pressured that you have to prove anything to me or to anyone at school.” He caressed his cheek. “I’m still going to be here even if we don’t have sex.”

Dean smirked. He had a feeling this was going to become a fun game. He flipped him back on his back. “I don't. This isn't peer pressure, it...it's...something else.” He looked into his eyes. He had no idea how to describe this feeling. It felt too large sometimes. "I'm...I love you, I want to share this with you." He kissed him. "You're the only Alpha I've ever _**wanted**_ to be with, Cas. Please?"

Cas sat up, flipped him onto his back and whispered, "Yes. You never have to ask or beg.”

He took his mouth in a kiss that was meant to devour.

Dean immediately put his hands on each side of his neck and let him take his mouth anyway he wanted. Their mouths tore at each other. Every sweep, lick, nip was meant to take both of them there even faster. He tore his mouth from his and locked his lips down on the pulse point at his neck. Dean moaned. “Oh, God...Cas...”

His body arched when the Alpha’s teeth scraped across his mating gland. “Oh, Cas! Shit…!”

He threaded her fingers into his hair and brought his head back up. The omega captured his mouth, both of them moaning. He took the kiss deeper. Dean would have sworn he was burning from the inside out. 

Cas tucked his fingers into his shirt and pulled it up over his head. He whimpered as their lips separated. He pulled his eyes to his. “I love you, Dean. I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” Dean moaned as the Alpha sucked on his neck. His entire body ignited. Deft fingers found the buttons to D ean ’s jeans and C as quickly shoved them down.

Castiel pulled him forward until his head was on the pillows.  He placed a wet open-mouthed kiss on his torso. He kissed down his torso and immediately smelled the arousal. He caressed him. “Mmm. Baby, you smell so sweet...” He gently took him in his hand and pushed his cock against his stomach. He bent the guy’s legs and saw the slick sliding out of him. He moved down the bed and settled himself between his legs. He licked the inside of his leg.

He moaned and arched off the bed. “Oh, Baby...”

He licked the other side of his leg and smiled against his heated and damp skin as the Omega moaned louder. He licked along that leg until he got to his leaking hole and this time licked the slick that came out of the Omega.

Dean’s mind exploded. “Cas...”

His tongue teased him open, questing and conquering. Dean moaned. Cas knew from what he learned in his Alpha classes he really didn’t need to do this, the slick drenching his mouth would have been enough to ease the pain...at least that’s what the books and his teacher said. However, Cas wasn’t taking any chances. He’d be devastated if he hurt Dean that way.

He lifted his face, wiped his mouth and looked into Dean’s smoky lust-filled eyes. He took Dean into his hand and began working him as his fingers stretched his hole.

“Oh, Cas!” he moaned louder than he intended.

Damn, the Omega looked hot as hell writhing as he worked him. Satisfied with the width of the Omega, he rose up, keeping his hand around Dean’s cock and positioned himself to slide into him. Cas looked into his eyes. “Dean, look at me.”

Dean lifted his green eyes and they locked. Cas smiled. “That’s it, Baby. Keep looking at me.” He positioned the head of his cock to Dean’s hole. He looked at him again. “I love you, Dean.”

“I love you too, Alpha.” He put a hand at his abs. “Will you knot me?”

“You want me to?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

He kissed his lips. “Then I’d be happy to.” He gently pushed into him, slowing when Dean hissed. He looked down at him. “You okay, Baby?”

“Absolutely, Alpha.” He tucked his hand behind his neck and whispered, “Fuck me, Alpha. Knot me...make me yours.”

Cas pushed in the rest of the way and sighed as the warmth came around him. “God...Dean, you feel amazing.”

He hummed. “You too, Cas.”

Feeling his wet warmth surround him and that feeling of contentment that he had only read about come around him, he knew that this is what it was going to feel like always. He pumped into him slowly.

“Oh, Cas... Babe...that feels... _**so fucking good** _ ...” he moaned. 

C as tried so hard to keep control. To not get out of control. Dean looked into his face and saw the concentration there and he smiled softly. He was trying to make this go at his pace. He wrapped an arm around his neck and pulled him to his lips, whispering, “Fuck me, Alpha. I want you to. Please.”

Hearing his Omega beg, something animalistic snapped within him. He  picked up the pace and began slamming into him. He  pumped in and out of hi m as a man possessed.  He moaned loudly as he encouraged the Alpha. “That’s it, Baby. Fuck me!” 

The moans got louder as Cas’ knot inflated and tried to desperately catch. He slammed into him harder until his knot caught and pumped his release into him.

Dean moaned loudly as the Alpha released into him and he climaxed seconds later, spilling his own release between them. Cas leaned forward and kissed him passionately, deeply. “I love you, Dean,” he murmured between pants.

“I love you, Cas.” He kissed his neck. Feeling loved and snuggly he whispered, “More than I’ll ever be able to tell you.”

He kissed him again. He positioned himself so they were on their sides, back to back.  He pulled him to him. He kissed his shoulder blade and his shoulder. “I love you, Sweetheart.”

“I love you, Babe,” he whispered sleepily, already drifting off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have 5 more chapters of this fic to go. 
> 
> And in case you didn't read the new tags there will be a cliffhanger


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cas stands up to John and confronts his former friends.
> 
> Cas shows Dean and Charlie his inner geek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AUTHOR'S NOTE: The Hanged Roman Emperor case that Cas mentions is a true case. I found it on Wikipedia.

The next few days went off pretty well. The alarm would go off, Dean would slap it off and curl back into Cas before the Alpha would slowly wake him up with a mind-blowing orgasm. This morning wasn’t much different. Right now they lay in each other’s arms, Cas’ knot securely locked into place and they were in the euphoric glow of amazing sex. Cas wrapped his arm tighter around him. “How are you feeling?” he asked.

Dean smiled. He asks that same question about 20 minutes into the knotting to see how he’s doing. And for Dean it made him feel amazing. He kissed the top of his hand. “I’m feeling amazing, Alpha.” He sighed contently. “I’m a little nervous though.”

“About what?”

“How school’s gonna go with you and me since we are doing this.”

Cas smiled and kissed his shoulder. “Well, first I’m going to talk to Hannah, Meg and Balthazar and inform them that despite what they think or believe I’m always going to choose you over anyone else.”

Dean smiled, his heart swelling. That made him feel amazing. Not that he’d ever tell the Alpha that...maybe he will someday. When he’s not sixteen years old and easily embarrassed about his mushy feelings. “You really…” he gasped as Cas pumped another round of cum into him. “...think so?” he finished.

Castiel smiled against his shoulder. “Yeah. Sorry.”

He shook his head. “No. Don’t ever apologize. I thought you were done being that we’re about twenty-five minutes into the knotting so it surprised me.” He tilted his head up and Cas dutifully kissed his lips. “Never apologize for that.”

Cas sighed. “I love you.”

He smiled. “I love you.”

*******************

They came downstairs about a half an hour before they had to leave for school. It was going to be Cas’ first day back to school since his brother beat the shit out of him and he was able to come live at Arcadia full-time. “So, are you absolutely sure you want to do all that?” Dean asked as they walked into the kitchen.

He nodded. “Absolutely,” he answered. He grabbed a bagel and began spreading some cream cheese on it. He sighed. “Dean, honey, my family hasn’t been my family for a very long time.” He smiled teasingly at him. “But if you don’t want me to I completely get it.”

Dean rolled his eyes and threw a piece of his bacon at him, then laughed. “Shut up. That’s not why I’m asking.”

“Asking what?” Millie wondered as she handed Sam a plate of waffles.

“Cas is going to change his name when we get married.”

Henry looked at Castiel, shock evident. “Really?”

He nodded. Castiel bit into his bagel. He waited a few seconds as he chewed. “That’s okay, right?” He looked at the oldest Winchester. “I thought it would make it easier for when it’s mine and Dean’s turn to run Arcadia.”

A boastful laugh filled the room and made young Sam jerk in surprise. Castiel smiled and squeezed his shoulder. “Oh, Castiel, you foolish, foolish Alpha. An Omega has never run Arcadia, Castiel. Good thing you're going to get schooled on what's appropriate."

"Shut up, John,” Henry shot to his son. “After what you did you have no room to talk about what's appropriate. Although, you should know I don't make decisions about this Pack without your mom's go ahead." He smiled at his wife. "There's a reason why she's the Pack Omega in charge of Omega Relations." He sipped his coffee. “Besides, I wouldn’t speak that way toward him if I was you.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because after what you did I’ve been seriously thinking about taking away your High Alpha privileges.”

He halted and stared at his father, while Henry’s grandson’s stared at him in surprise. “What?” All 3 Winchester men said in unison. “Dad--”

“No,” he said and held up his hand. “It doesn’t matter, John. It’s my decision anyway who ascends to the High Alpha position and what you did shows me that I’ve been too lenient with your actions to date. So, maybe you’ll figure it out when you lose something you’ve figured was your birthright.”

“It is my birthright!” John argued.

“No it’s not!” Henry said and pounded his hand on the counter. “It’s a privilege, not a birthright. Being High Alpha is a great responsibility and you’re an idiot if you don’t know that by now, John.”

“So, you’re going to let a seventeen year old kid take it?” He scoffed. “That’s really sane, Dad.”

“Don’t you dare preach to me about sanity, John Eric! I’m not the one that had lost his fucking mind and attempted to sell my son to men who despise the fact that he’s a damn Shifter!” He tapped his temple. “Do you have any idea whatsoever what Michael would have done to Dean if you had gone with his volunteering of mating with Dean?”

“There would have been no damn way I would have agreed to it anyway,” Dean said.

“You would have if I told--”

“Actually, he’s right, because despite you being his father mating arrangements have to be approved by me, John. No one else and there was never going to be a reason for me to be okay with him being mated to Michael Novak. That guy would have beaten him every chance he got because he could. Then how would you feel about that?”

John’s eyes dropped guiltily to the counter. Henry nodded. “That’s what I thought.” He looked at Dean and Castiel. “Be lucky he’s got a good Alpha, John.”

“As long as his virginity is still--”

“It’s not,” Castiel said without hesitation. “It hasn’t been for about four days, John.” He lifted a challenging brow to the older Winchester. “Is that a problem?”

"You haven't even been here a week and you've already defiled my son?"

"Defiled?" Dean looks at his grandfather. "What is this Victorian times?"

He smirked and cleared his throat. "Let's see if your Alpha can defend himself. This will prove to me that my choice was correct."

Cas squared his shoulders, his heart thudding hard in his chest and his stomach churning so much he's about to throw up. "I may not have been here that long but your son and I have been seeing each other for almost two weeks, John. And last I checked the only one that can technically tell me no would be Dean and trust me, if he had said he didn't want to I would have stopped." He closed the gap between them and said, "However, he hadn't and what Dean and I do behind our bedroom door isn't any of your business, John."

He scoffed. "You do have a backbone. How come you never used it--"

"Because you don't have a fucking baseball bat!" He yelled. "You've just got your fists and from what I hear from Bobby you can't throw a punch anymore to save your life." He glared at him and said, "But if you think you have to assert Alphaness you no longer have then go for it."

“Want me to prove it?” he taunted.

He tilted his head. “If you think you have to then do it. I won’t fight you on it, John.” He looked at the man. He really wasn’t that intimidating. Not like the others said he was. “However,” looking bored, he glanced at his watch, “could we make this quick? Dean’s still gotta drop Sam, Jess and the others off at school and he and I have a trig test today.”

Henry spoke up this time, “Dean, take your Alpha and your brother and go to school. We’ll see you later.” He glared at John. “John Eric, Council Hall…. _ **now**_!”

Castiel gently ushered the 12-year old toward the door. Dean following right beside him. As they got outside, Cas suddenly found himself up against the house and Dean’s lips instantly locked with his, ravishing them instantly. The Alpha moaned in surprise then in pleasure as he gripped the sides of Dean’s jacket, pulling him closer.

When they both ended the kiss, they were panting. Cas lifted his cloudy blue eyes to his Omega. “What...What...What was that for?”

“That...was...so hot!” He exclaimed just above a hoarse whisper.

He laughed softly. “Me standing up to your father is hot to you?”

He nodded slowly, the lust in his eyes getting deeper. “Oh, fuck...yeah.”

Sam laughed, "I thought you hated it when "Knotheads showed their Alpha", Big Brother?"

Dean shot him a glare. "Shut up and get in the van, Sammy." He waited until Sam was out of earshot and then said, “If we so had time I’d fuck you right now.”

He laughed and kissed him soundly. In the last few days he had discovered that he _loved_ when the Omega lost control while riding him. It turned him on more than he had ever thought he could have. “Do you think you could wait until lunch?”

He sighed, pouting a little. “If I have to,” he muttered.

He kissed the pout off of him. “I promise you can fuck me as much as you want in the forty minutes that is lunch, okay?”

He nodded and kissed him again. “In case I don’t get to say it at school, I love you.”

“I love you.” They walked, hand in hand to the van.

* * *

They got to school and after talking to the school about them sharing a locker, Cas started moving his stuff into Dean’s locker. Even though Dean had volunteered to be the one to move his stuff into Cas’ locker, Cas had insisted, so Dean wasn’t going to argue with him about it. So, as he kept his locker door open and watched the Alpha move his stuff over, he’d lean over and kiss him each time.

“Hey, Clarence, whatcha doing?”

Cas looked over his shoulder at Meg. “Um...moving my stuff into Dean’s locker. What’s up?”

“Well, we haven’t seen you in a few days and we wanted to check in.” Hannah tried to loop her hand through his arm when he pulled his arm away.

“Why would we need to check in? You’re not family and you’re definitely not my friends.”

Hannah gasped. “That’s not true, Castiel!”

“Really? Then why in the hell wouldn’t you both listen to me when I told you to leave Dean the hell alone, huh?”

“Please!” Meg exclaimed. “He’s a fucking dog--”

He glared at her, his eyes flaming Alpha red and growled at her. “ _So am I_!”

Meg drew a sharp breath as her body went rigid with fear. Castiel never got angry and if he did, he didn’t look like _that_.

His glare stayed in place as he said, “And I would prefer if you didn’t call me, my mate or my pack dogs.”

“Your pack?” Hannah asked. “Since when have you been a member of Arcadia Pack?”

“Since I was a kid, actually,” he informed them. He saw the surprised look on their faces and reminded them, “Dean and I have been playing at Arcadia...as wolves...since we were four years old, if you needed a reference as to how long I’ve been shifting.”

“Hey, Cas!”

Dean and Cas both turned to see Charlie walking up to them, holding a book in her hands. Castiel smiled. “Hey, Charlie. Everything okay?”

She nodded. “Yeah, I just went into my bag and found this.” She held up a book in her hand.

He smiled. “Did you not like it?”

“I’m only on chapter five right now, but it’s cool!”

He laughed. “Good. Glad you like it.”

“What book?” Dean asked.

Charlie handed it to him. “It’s a really cool book so far. It’s time traveling. These group of teenagers solve history’s greatest unsolved murders and then go back to their time and see how their time has changed since the murder was solved.”

Dean nodded. Sounded interesting. He looked at the title. “The Hanged Roman.”

Castiel smiled, nodding. “It’s inspired by the historic records of a Roman Emperor who was found hanged in his residence.”

“Really? Who was the Emperor?” Dean asked generally curious.

Meg rolled her eyes. “You are such a nerd!”

Dean scented embarrassment off of Cas almost immediately. He watched Castiel’s eyes drop to the floor, embarrassed. glared. “Shut up.”

“Excuse me?”

“I didn’t stutter,” he told her. “You two always say you’re his best friend, but you make fun of him.”

Meg rolled her eyes. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Actually I do. I’ve been watching you since he became friends with you both and you two treat him horribly.”

“And you treated him much better?” Hannah shot back. “Come on, Dean, you stopped hanging out with him after he didn’t come to your stupid birthday party--”

“That wasn’t my fault!” Dean argued. “That was his parents, not me or mine.”

Castiel put a hand on his chest. “Baby, don’t argue with them. They’re not worth it.”

He sighed. “You’re right.” He looked at Cas, ignoring his former friends. “So, who was the Emperor?”

Cas tilted his eyes to the handsome omega. “You really want to know?”

He nodded. “Yeah. I’m morbid that way, but I also like mysteries. You know that.”

He nodded, smiling as Dean leaned into him. “I do. Um...his name was Valentinian II. He was Roman Emperor from November 22, 375 to May 15, 392.”

Meg and Hannah stomped away, angry. Cas continued as if it didn’t bother him and really didn’t. He had people now who seemed to enjoy having him around. “He never had authority, he never truly reigned over Rome. The generals in the armies reigned. May 15, 392, he was found hanged in his residence in Vienne in Gaul. General Arbogast claimed it was suicide, although some believed that, having been dismissed by the emperor, the general had murdered him.”

Dean looked at him. “How do you know that?”

“I know the author,” he said simply.

Charlie gasped. “NO WAY!” she exclaimed, happily. “Who?”

He smiled. “You’d never believe me if I told you.” He bumped Dean playfully and said, “Let’s get to class, Sweetheart.”

They walked with Charlie, hand in hand to class.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the short chapters lately. This chapter dragged longer (hours-wise) than I had intended. So, I'm adding another chapter into the outline to put in what was going to be in this chapter.
> 
> Up Next: The Induction Ceremony. You find out what John's 'punishment' is from his own pack. Cas is asked a VERY important that may or may not put the future of the Pack in jeopardy.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel finds out what his future in the pack will be. Castiel is inducted into the Pack.
> 
> You meet Henry's dads. To which John gets a tongue lashing from his grandpa Nathaniel.
> 
> Castiel asserts himself as Henry's right hand.

“Castiel, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you,” Henry said as they walked around the perimeter of the compound.

The 17-year-old nodded. “I think I know what it is, but go ahead.”

“Well, you have to know that I do not agree with what John attempted to do. What he did was inexcusable, even for me and that’s my boy.” He sighed. “Despite our relationship, I am Pack Alpha and as such, I have to make a statement and he needs to know his actions will not be tolerated.”

Castiel nodded as he put his arms behind his back. “Yes, sir.”

“That is why I have decided to strip John of all his future Pack privileges.”

Castiel stopped, totally in shock. “Wha...what?”

He nodded. “I talked to Millie about it and we both agree that this punishment fits his actions. If he wasn’t my child he’d be exiled and thrown out of the Pack.” He exhaled. “Which is where you come in now.”

He nodded slowly. “Okay...”

He sighed and looked into the Alpha’s blue eyes. “I’m going to do this formally. So, here goes...Castiel Novak, will you please take the responsibility, obligations and the privileges of Pack Alpha when I can no longer do so?”

Cas’ heart started thundering in his chest at the question. The man standing before him was asking him to become Pack Alpha when and if something happened to him. Which means that not only would he take over for him when he died very old but he’d also take the responsibility from his shoulders when he was sick, hurt or whatever else he needed someone to step in. “You’re serious?”

He nodded. “Very serious. Castiel, I know you may be scared and freaked out right now--”

“That’s putting it mildly,” he muttered.

“But I don’t plan on stepping down until you’re at least confident enough to take it on yourself. I will be here to guide you through the responsibilities, I promise.”

He exhaled and turning his back for a moment on the older Alpha. He was trying to get his thoughts straight. He knew the honor it was to be Pack Alpha. He’d read about it to understand a little of Henry’s pressure and responsibilities. “Look, Henry, I am so honored for being asked, but--”

“Castiel, I know you’re scared, but you’re the only other option I have. And remember, your Omega—my grandson—will be by your side too. I believe you and Dean could carry this Pack into great heights and an even more amazing future. I am not going to be giving it to you any time soon, I promise. I’m going to show you what I do and what it takes before we even discuss when you’ll take over, okay?”

He nodded slowly. “Yes, sir.” He looked into his eyes and knew the man really wanted this, but Castiel would be lying if he said he didn’t, because he did. He had fantasized about it a few times with Dean next to him, to guide him. “And it’s my choice how involved Dean will be, right?”

He nodded. “Right. Millie’s involved in every aspect of the Pack. I think Dean would be good at that too if you decide to put him there. That’s up to you and him.”

He looked into Henry’s eyes and said, “I’d be very honored to take your place, Alpha. Thank you for the opportunity. I promise you that I won’t let you down.”

Henry hugged the young man. “Thank you, Castiel. I appreciate it beyond words.”

“You’re very welcome.” He just hoped he did as well as Henry was doing when he finally took over.

* * *

“No,” Dean said firmly.

He’d only been home from school for about an hour when the Omegas of the pack had decided to ambush him with plans for the mating ceremony. He wasn’t even aware that he and Cas had decided to announce anything yet. Not that it was a problem for anyone to know, but they had just recently decided to do the Mating Ceremony so soon because this way Cas could hurry up and get rid of his family as soon as possible.

However, it seemed the longer that this planning went on the more the others seemed to be in it and living vicariously through his future with Castiel. Hell, they just finished talking about when he and Cas would have their first child. Not that they hadn’t discussed it because with their Future Life Project, they knew it was something to sort out, but Dean wanted to see if they were on the same page with it too. And they both agreed that they would at least wait until they had graduated from high school before even seriously discussing the subject.

Although it didn’t seem to matter what he wanted. It was his damn ceremony and everything but no one was listening to what he was saying. He didn’t want all the stupid frills and romanticism of the traditional ceremony. He just wanted to stand before his grandfather, the Pack and hold Cas’ hand as he promised to spend the rest of his days with the Alpha. Why was that so difficult for anyone to understand?

“Oh, come on, Dean!” 12-year-old Madison said excitedly. “Fairy lights hanging as you walk to Castiel would be so beautiful!”

He growled. He heard the back door open as he pushed from the small table in the kitchen and said to everyone. “I said no!” he yelled. “I don’t want fucking poinsettias, or whatever the hell the other flowers that were suggested are! I don’t want fucking fairy lights hanging from tree to tree! And, Annie, it’s the fucking dead of winter who in their right mind’s gonna want to have the fucking party outside, huh?! All I want is to stand up there and finally get the damn ceremony over with so that Cas and I can move on to other more important things!” He shoved the album away and stormed up the back staircase without even realizing that Castiel, Millie and Henry were coming into the room.

The omegas’ jaws hit the table and Henry and Millie both stood in the room, Millie had her hands on her hips and Henry had his hands crossed. Castiel looked at the others. “What happened?”

“Um...” Maggie, a girl that was a Freshman in their high school began, “...we may have pushed suggestions on him.”

Castiel sighed. “Oh, God...”

Cassie Robinson, a girl that was hoping that Dean would have been an Alpha s that they could finally get together looked at Cas. “You know, I’ve been wondering something about you and Dean.”

He turned and faced her. “Which is what exactly?”

“You haven’t talked in what nine years? So how in the hell do you know him so well? I mean, seriously, how do you know that he wouldn’t have liked the frilly stuff?”

Castiel looked at Henry, who nodded his head in a ‘go-ahead’ gesture. He paused when he heard Metallica blaring from his room. He hung his head and then looked at Cassie. “First off, don’t pretend even for a moment that you have any idea what Dean and I know and don’t know about each other. I’ve known him a helluva lot longer than you and trust me when I tell you I definitely know him more intimately than you ever will. Second, Dean and I talked about what we wanted for the ceremony and I told him he could pick out anything else we hadn’t talked about.” He looked down at the photos and said, “And I can tell you that he doesn’t want any of this.” He put a hand on the album. He looked at all of them. “Come on, guys, you’re supposed to be his pack. His family. You’re supposed to know he’s not into any of the romantic movie crap. Dean’s not into making himself the center of attention. He’d much rather get it over with so we _**all**_ can have a good time. And that is one of the many things I love about him the most.”

He pushed off the table and looked at Henry and Millie. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go check on my mate.” He started up the stairs, but stopped, turning. “Dean and I hadn’t announced our plans to mate, so how did you all find out?”

They pointed to Lisa. Castiel glared at her. “How did you find out?”

She shrugged.

Millie glared at the teenager. “How did you find out?”

“I asked John,” she told him simply. “He told me. After he said it was a disappointment that he presented as an Omega--”

“Stop,” Castiel told her firmly. He glared at everyone. “Just so you know. Mine and Dean’s privacy will be upheld the same way you all hold Henry and Millie’s privacy. I will not gossip for this damn pack. I will not have Dean be upset because we haven’t had children at a certain age or anything like that. This is our life...together. This is our relationship. No one else’s and if you have a problem with that then you can suck it.” He turned and walked to his room. He walked into the room and found Dean laying on the bed, on his stomach. He shut the door behind him and walked to the bed. He laid down on his back and looked up at the ceiling.

Dean smirked when he seen the Alpha lay next to him. Cas could never do that, see him upset. He turned the stereo down with the remote and smiled at the Alpha. “Still can’t do it, huh?”

“Do what?” Castiel asked rolling on his side, resting his head on his hand.

“See me upset.”

He smiled, a soft blush covering his face. He touched his cheek softly. “You’re my best friend, Dean. My rock, my everything. It hurts me to see you upset. I can’t help it.” He leaned over and kissed his lips. “Even when our life gets crazy will you remember something for me?”

“Yes,” he answered.

“I love you,” he told him. “Whatever happens I love you. I will love you even more when you’ve done something stupid. I will fall in love with you every single day because you’re it for me, Dean. You’re all I want.”

Dean smiled and straddled him. He leaned forward and took his mouth in a passionate kiss. “I love you, Alpha.” He exhaled and laid his head on his chest. “Can we elope, please?”

He laughed softly and wrapped his arms around Dean. “If you want to when we turn eighteen, we can so do that. However, we promised your grandparents so...”

He sighed. “I just hadn’t realized that our mating was going to be ‘everyone’s’ mating, you know?”

He rubbed his back in a soothing manner. “I know, Baby, but you do realize despite everyone being there it’s our ceremony, right?”

He nodded into his chest. “I know, Babe. It just sucks that it didn’t seem like anyone wanted to hear what _ **I**_ wanted. A couple of the liberated ones made me feel like crap because I said that you wouldn’t like something.”

“Really?”

He nodded. He shrugged. “I didn’t think it would be a problem to include you, but if you asked Bela or Cassie it’s a problem.”

“Speaking of Cassie, I may have lit into her.”

He laughed. “What did you say?”

He exhaled and told him. Dean put his face in his chest and started laughing. “Oh, Cas, I love you.” He kissed him. “Thank you. She’s been bugging me since we got home from school.”

Castiel kissed his forehead. “Anytime, Baby.”

* * *

Later that night, after dinner, Henry had called the family, Castiel included into his home office. “I’m calling you all in here because I have spoken to our council and I have spoken to Millie and we all agreed that despite John’s apologies there needs to be consequences for him breaking so many laws within our pack and the joint packs' laws.” He sighed, his eyes immediately going sad. “It is with a heavy heart that I do this, but, I didn’t want you all to be blindsided when I announce it to the pack and make an enormous announcement after the induction ceremony.”

“What is it, Grandpa?” Sam asked, a little nervous.

“John, you are being stripped of your High Alpha privileges along with other Alpha privileges effective immediately.”

“ _ **What?!**_ Dad, no! You can’t--”

“I can and I have.”

“So, who’s gonna be taking over for you?” Dean asked.

“Well, funny you should ask that, because after what I had seen this morning and from what Dean told me that happened at school today, I have chosen Castiel to be the next High Alpha.”

Dean’s heart stuttered in his chest as the shock ran through him. “Oh, holy shit...”

Castiel looked at Dean. “Are you mad that I didn’t tell you?”

He shook his head. “No. I just didn’t think we’d be taking it on so quickly. I thought we’ve have another fifty years or so.”

Castiel smiled and kissed head. “Sorry, Sweetheart.”

“Don’t be. It’s an honor to be asked.” He kissed him. “Despite the circumstances of how it came about I’m glad it’s you.”

There was a knock on the door and Millie turned, walking to the door. She opened and smiled when she saw Bobby standing on the other side. “Hey, Bobby.”

“Ma’am.”

Millie moved aside. “Henry.”

He looked over his family and smiled at Bobby. “Hey, Bobby!”

“Hi, Alpha. The Council is here. Your Pop is waiting for you.”

He nodded. “Okay, thank you.” He smiled at Dean and Cas. “Come on. Your great-grandfather is going to be ecstatic that you’re finally here, Cas.”

He smiled. He loved that Henry said that as if they were actually his family. They walked with him to the sitting room in the house. Henry walked to his father and embraced him. “Mmm, Papa, it’s so good to see you!”

“You too, Henry,” Nathaniel said, hugging him. “Your dad got commandeered by a couple of Omegas that apparently have a problem with your son promising fixtures that never happened.”

He nodded. “I’m clearing that up, Papa.”

He smiled. “I know you are, Sweetheart.”

Castiel couldn’t believe he had forgotten. He stopped Dean. “I forgot that there was a male Omega in your immediate family.”

He laughed and kissed him. “Yeah. Grandpa Nathaniel is amazing.”

Castiel sighed. Suddenly he wasn’t so nervous about the Pack accepting his and Dean’s relationship. Nathaniel smiled at him and he returned the smile. “Hi, Mr. Winchester.”

Nathaniel waved him off and hugged him. “I told you when you were a kid to call me Grandpa, Castiel, I meant it.”

He laughed. “Yes, Sir.”

Henry smiled at their interaction. “Papa, um...Dean’s gonna be mated to Castiel next weekend.”

He halted, but Cas had a feeling it wasn’t because of him, but because of the news. He glared at John. “What in the hell did you do this time?”

“What makes you think that it’s me?”

“Because they’re doing it before they graduate it.”

“Well, Papa that’s why you, dad and the Council’s here--”

“Henry, my sweet, sweet boy. I love you, but I think it’s about damn time that John owns up to his stupidity as a father.” He put his hands on his hips as the scent of burnt apples filled the air. He glared at him. “Speak, Boy.”

“I started playing poker again.”

“And...”

“He sucks at it,” Dean said, still angry.

Nathaniel smirked. “Good to know.” He winked at Dean. “Did you pay whomever it was?”

“In a way, yes,” he said cautiously. He remembered Nathaniel’s temper. It was worse than Grandad’s.

“In a way?” Nathaniel asked. “What the hell does that mean?”

“It means...” he sighed. “I traded my debt for Dean.”

“ _You did what?!_ ”

John flinched. Castiel couldn’t believe it. They were now seeing the big bad Alpha being afraid of an Omega. “Huh, never thought I’d see it.”

Nathaniel shot his grandson a death glare. _**“BILLY!”**_ He yelled for his husband.

About 10 minutes later, the Patriarch of the Winchester family walked in, rushing to his husband. “Baby, what is it?”

Instead of an answer, William got a growl as Nathaniel asked, “How much did you loose?”

“Grandpa, that’s not really important--”

“ _Don’t you dare tell me what is important, Boy!”_

“Yes, Sir.”

William looked at his son. “What the hell is going on?”

“Papa knows,” Henry told him.

William exhaled. “I told you you weren’t going to like it, Nate.”

“He traded my boy,” Nathaniel told him. “My boy...” He shot John a death glare again. “Did you trade Sam too to pay it off?”

“No. He’s not old enough to be mated off.”

“Ahh...” Nathaniel sighed. “Who was it? Was it always Castiel?”

“No,” John said. “I made the offer to Zachariah’s two oldest boys.”

Nathaniel was now seeing red and stormed toward the guy. Castiel stood between the pissed off Omega and his soon-to-be father-in-law as William calmed his husband. “All right, that’s enough.” Castiel looked at everyone. “Look, we all know that John’s an asshole. That will never change. It’s always nice to know that things don’t change even if you haven’t been around so much in about ten years. However, may I ask, from here on out could we not talk about his stupidity when it came to his gambling?” He glared at John. “Because if I was the one in charge and I found out you had traded one of my grandsons to clear your debt I would exile you from the pack for it.” His eyes narrowed. “Because even if no one else will say it what you did was actually very illegal, not just in pack dynamics but out in the outside world.”

“What are you talking about?” Mary asked.

“It’s illegal to sell an Omega, Mary,” Castiel said. “Punishable by up to about fifteen years in an Alpha prison.”

Henry smiled. “And that right there is why you are my second in command, Castiel.”

Castiel smiled. “Thank you.” He sighed. He looked at everyone. “From here on out can we all agree to never bring this up? I don’t want to be forever reminded that despite the fact that I had been beaten within an inch of my life that night, that I, we could have lost Dean to my sadistic older brother?”

“Agreed.” He sighed. He looked at Henry. “What is this to-do list that John seems to be lacking on?”

Henry smiled. “I’ll show you later. Dad, you remember, Castiel, right?”

“I do,” he said and hugged him. “It’s good to have you home, Cas.”

He hugged him back, just as tightly. “It’s good to be home,” he said. Remembering what William liked to be called he said, “Granddad.”

He laughed. “You remembered.”

He nodded. “It takes a few to remember some things, but others I remember.” He sighed. “Thank you for not flipping out on me when I spoke up just now.”

He smiled. “I wouldn’t have anyway. I knew what Henry was going to ask you so it’s nice to see you helping him when stuff like this happens. It reassures me that he picked the right now.” He narrowed his eyes to John. “Unlike him. Who didn’t seem to do anything unless it benefited him, because Pack Alpha was his by birth.”

Sam looked at everyone. “What’s that make me when Dean becomes Pack Omega?”

The entire room laughed. “Well, Sam,” Castiel said. “I’m glad you asked.” He looked at Henry. “If you don’t mind...” he looked at his soon-to-be brother-in-law. “How would you like to be our second-in-command?”

John groaned. “Oh, great, this pack is so going to go down the tube--”

They watched the older Alpha’s head jerk forward as Nathaniel lowered his arm.

“Ouch! Grandpa!”

“For once in your damn life, John Eric shut the fuck up!” Nathaniel yelled. The Omega had had enough. He looked at Sam. “Sammy, honey, answer your brother.”

Sam looked up at Castiel. He looked at Dean. “So, you two are running the pack when grandpa steps down?”

Castiel nodded. “I couldn’t do it without him.”

“But we couldn’t do it without you either, Sammy,” Dean told him. “Please?”

Sam smiled and nodded. “Yeah, I’ll do it.”

Castiel nodded. “Cool. Thank you, Sam.”

“You’re welcome.”

Henry smiled. He knew he was leaving the Pack in good hands. Now to make it all official.

* * *

“We are gathered here tonight for an event that has been seventeen years in the making.” Henry smiled at the crowd. “You all know how serious I take inducting new members into this pack. However, as some of you may not know, Castiel’s been in this family for years. His mother has been a member of this pack since she was a baby, so by our laws that makes Castiel a member. However, that is not why we’re here tonight. We’re here to make him a full-fledged member of the Pack.”

He looked at the long table on the stage. “Dean, Castiel, please step up here.”

They both walked to Henry who was standing at an altar-like area. “All right, Pack, we are here to welcome Castiel Novak as not only a pack member but also as Dean’s chosen mate. So, please, take each other’s hands.”

Henry cleared his throat and began the pledge that Castiel repeated after Dean. Henry added. “I’d like to announce that John is no longer going to be High Alpha of this pack for his lack of responsibility, not only to his family but to the pack also. I’m officially appointing Castiel Novak...soon-to-be Winchester...as Pack High Alpha. He will be taking my place when I finally retire.”

The Pack clapped, it wasn’t excited, but shocked applause. Castiel hugged Henry. Henry stayed at the microphone. “Also, after Christmas, on December twenty-ninth, Dean and Castiel will be joining their lives together in a mating ceremony.”

That got stronger applause this time and Henry smiled. “So, Pack, welcome our newest member and your new High Alpha...Castiel!”

This time the entire Pack stood, clapping in support. Castiel felt relieved and like he had finally come home.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean has a conversation with his great-grandpa about doubts.
> 
> Something has happened within the pack...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a cliffhanger in this chapter.

A couple of days before their mating ceremony, Dean walked into his grandfather’s office, where great-grandpa, Nathaniel was seated writing out Christmas cards. He walked over to the couch and threw himself down. Nathaniel looked up, his head barely moving as his eyes looked at his grandson. “What’s wrong? I thought you’d be happy. Cas is finally home and you got to celebrate this Christmas being the second Pack Omega.”

“I am,” he said, looking up at the ceiling.

“Dean Campbell, you’re such a horrible liar.”

He laughed. “Only with you and Cas, Grandpa.”

The older man’s smile widened. He looked at him. “God, you look like your grandmother.”

“So, Grandpa Henry tells me.” He sat up and laid his head back on the couch. He sighed heavily.

He chuckled. “Except when you do that. Then you remind me of your aunt Noelle.”

He smiled. “How is the Old Hag, anyway?”

Nathaniel knew he didn’t mean that out of disrespect. That’s what his daughter jokingly called herself. “She’s good. She and her family are going to be spending the holidays up in the Blue Ridge Mountains.”

“Of course they are,” he muttered. He exhaled. “Do you think she’ll ever celebrate Christmas with us ‘townfolk’ ever again?”

He laughed. “I don’t know, Sweetheart.” He took his glasses off and looked at his oldest great-grandson. “What’s the matter?”

“When you mated-married granddad did you ever feel like it...”

“Wasn’t my ceremony but everyone elses?”

He nodded. “I don’t want to be a total jerk, but I’m not marrying the Pack. I’m marrying Cas.”

“Speaking of that, are you doing this to appease that stupid gambling debt of your father’s?”

He shook his head. “Not completely,” he admitted.

“Not completely?”

He nodded. “I’ve always had feelings for him, Grandpa. Heck, I tried mating with him when I was four years old so that he’d stay here with me.”

He laughed. “I remember that! I had to explain to you that his leg wasn’t exactly the right place to put that kinda bite.”

He nodded. He exhaled. “I love him. I really truly do, Grandpa and I believe if we were left to make the decision for ourselves then it would have happened. Just not this soon.” He sighed. “I have no idea what being an Omega in a mated couple is supposed to mean or anything.”

“There’s not a handbook on it, Baby.” He stood from the small writing desk and walked to him. He sat on the small coffee table and put his hand on his grandson. “It’s whatever you and Cas decide to make your life together.”

“I know. That’s what grandma told me, but...” he looked into his eyes. “How did you know that granddad loved you...forever? That he wouldn’t cheat on you like a lot of the traditional and archaic Alphas have done?” He exhaled softly. “Like I know Zachariah and dad have done.”

Nathaniel smiled. He remembered these insecurities, except he didn’t have anyone to talk to about it like Dean did now. “Let me tell you a secret that not even your dad knows, okay? The only one out of our children who knows is your grandpa.” He took Dean’s hands. “Your granddad and I were arranged, Dean. Down to the first dance was decided for us because our fathers wanted to merge the two packs. Northwestern and Arcadia.”

“No way!” he exclaimed in surprise. “But...but, but you’re like a bunch of teenagers when you’re even in the same room together!”

He laughed. “Thank you. It used to embarrass your father when his grandparents would make out.”

Dean smiled, laughing softly. “Doesn’t surprise me. Dad’s kinda a prude.”

He nodded. “He is.” He scooted forward on the table. “Look, Dean, do you believe that Castiel loves you right now at this moment and when you’re together?”

He nodded. “Absolutely.”

“Imagine that feeling tenfold, Baby. Trust me when I tell you when you two finally mate everything will fall into place and if he’s like every Alpha I know, your granddad included he won’t be able to keep himself away from you or keep his hands off of you.” He smiled. “Do you trust my judgment?”

“Without question.”

“Then take my opinion, Sweetheart. He loves you and I mean he really truly loves you. I don’t see you two being like your parents or even like his parents. I see you two being like me and granddad or like grandpa and grandma.” He squeezed his hands. “Trust me when I tell you, he will love you forever and even more when you don’t feel like you want it.” He looked into his eyes. “Do you want to know why I and granddad work so well?”

He nodded.

“Because he’s my best friend, my rock. He’s the one person I turn to when I feel like my world is turning upside down. If you and Cas are anything like you were when you were kids then you have nothing to worry about. He’ll love you until you’re both too old to express it in the fun way.” He smirked knowingly. “However, being old doesn’t mean much to us wolves. We have been known to live well into our hundreds. My great grandparents were hundred-sixteen years old when they died a month apart from each other.”

Dean looked into his grandpa’s eyes and knew it was probably inappropriate to ask, but he needed to know that Cas would need him sexually when he was grandpa’s age. “Does he still want you sexually? Like he used to?”

“No,” Nathaniel admitted. He watched the Omega’s fall sadly.

“I knew--”

“Dean, honey, he wants me even more than the teenage hormones that mated us over sixty years ago. Honestly, sweetheart, it’s true--”

“What’s true?”

Nathaniel smiled when he heard William walk in. He looked up and his smile widened when he saw Henry and Castiel enter the room with him. “Billy, Henry, let me ask you something.”

“Shoot, Baby,” William said.

“Besides that you love me or Henry, that you love Millie, what makes you want us so much even after kids and over several decades together?”

William looked at Dean and his eyes went to Castiel. He looked back at Nathaniel. “Well, for me it’s our life together. We’ve been together for over sixty-five years and to me, you’re still the hottest Omega in the world.”

Dean laughed as they kissed. “I’m serious, granddad. What makes you _**want**_ him like that. I mean, according to the way that I’ve heard dad talk about mom I’m sure grandpa’s not exactly in the same places anymore. Not the way he was then.”

“Of course not, Dean, but neither am I.” He had a feeling that he knew where this was going. “Baby, just because your father or Zachariah are traditional Alphas in the sense that they sleep around on your mother and Naomi. It doesn’t mean that Cas would ever do that to you. Despite what some say, Alphas and Omegas are biologically wired to stay with one mate. The reason why Alphas stray is because they’re arrogant assholes who believe that it’s their God-given right to knot as many Omegas as they want.” He shook his head. “That’s not what our brains or bodies say to us.” He smiled. “I can promise you on all three of my children and the sixty-six years I’ve been with grandpa that if you paraded the hottest female Omega in the room right now that neither I or your grandpa or even Castiel would react to it. Do you know why?”

He shook his head.

“Because our Alpha wolf hearts have already been given to our Omegas,” Cas said without hesitation.

Dean lifted his eyes to Castiel’s. “Do you believe that?”

He nodded. “Baby, you’ve had my heart since the day you bit my leg and brought me a cupcake at school the next day to apologize.”

Henry chuckled. “Dean, Little One, truthfully, if your wolf has already decided that Castiel is your mate then it’s going to be for life and not just because he’s in a rut or you’re in heat. It’s not how it works. Arcadian wolves mate for life. So do Valhalla wolves.”

“Valhalla?” Dean asked.

Castiel nodded. “That’s the name of my father’s Pack before the wolves died out because of breeding with non-shifters.”

“Oh, wow...” he whispered. “I never knew that.”

Castiel smiled. “You never asked. I’m the first person in the Novak family to be a shifter in about a hundred and fifty years.”

“Cool. Question for you.”

“Fire away.”

“Do you think you’re still going to find me sexy as you do now in ten years and I’ve had one kid and on our second?”

“Yes,” he told him without hesitation.

“You still going to find me sexy when things are sagging in places that you never noticed?”

Nathaniel laughed, however, Castiel answered without hesitation, “Yes. Do you know what grandpa Bart told me is the secret to still finding your mate sexy?”

Nathaniel and William laughed. “I’m almost afraid to ask.”

“The secret is that you’ll love them even more than the day you stood before everyone and pledged your life to each other. And that love is what drives the attraction into old age.”

“He’s not entirely wrong,” William said. “Look, Dean, if you were a non-shifter I’d tell you that there are no guarantees that your Alpha would love you forever, but there are four things working in your favor.”

“Which are?”

“One, your wolves' hearts have already bonded. Two, your friendship is strong, it’ll only get stronger. Three, Castiel loves you. He loves you so much he’s not only joining our Pack, but he’s going to change his name and become your grandpa’s second in command. An Alpha wouldn’t do that for just any Omega. And four, you love him with everything inside of you. I know you’re going to pretend that you don’t—which I could kill John for—but you do. As long as you remember those four things you’ll be celebrating ninety years together just like your great-great-grandparents will be on Valentine's Day.”

“Holy shit,” Cas murmured. “Ninety-nine years?”

Dean looked at Cas. “Wanna back out?”

“Hell no. I’m here for the duration, Sweetheart. I’m not going anywhere unless old age makes me.” He looked at Dean. “Baby, what brought this on?”

“Dad.”

Cas sighed, closing his eyes. “Why? What did he say to you?”

“Not to me. It’s what he said over the phone. He was talking to his mistress or whatever you call her—the other Omega—and he made a degrading comment about mom and it made me wonder if after nineteen years if you’ll ever say it about me.”

“No,” Cas said simply. “For two reasons: One, I’m in love with you with my whole heart. And two, I’m not an asshole. Your dad, like mine only cheats because they can. Because their Omegas allow it. You would kick my ass from here to Albany if I ever even thought of cheating on you like that.” He smiled when he saw the smile spread slowly on Dean’s face. “I know you would and besides, there’s nothing in this world that would make me want to.” He sat down beside him. “You have me mind, body and soul, Dean. And for me, those are non-returnable not even for ten minutes of fun with another Omega.”

“Besides,” Henry said. “If your father loved your mother at all he wouldn’t cheat on her. I believe he started to stop loving your mom when you manifested as an Omega. To archaic Alphas it’s disgraceful to have a male Omega.” Henry glared at the coffee table. “And considering who my parents are you know I never let him believe that.”

He did know more than anything. Dean sighed. “It was stupid--”

“Stop that,”Castiel told him. “It’s not stupid. Your doubts and feelings are not stupid, Dean. It’s the only way we’re ever going to work this all out and it’s the only way that you and I will run this pack together. I need you beside me, Dean. You know how your grandparents have run this pack, I don’t.” He leaned forward. “But I don’t need you for the pack. I need you for me, Baby.”

There was a knock on the door and the door opened slowly. “Henry?”

“Yeah, Mills?” he answered.

“Castiel, your family is here.”

The young Alpha groaned. He looked at Dean. “Kill me now.”

“No,” he said with a soft chuckle. “But I will be right there with you.”

“Us too,” Nathaniel volunteered.

Castiel stood, took Dean’s hand and walked out of the office. He looked in the living room and looked at Millie curiously. She smiled. “They’re your family. This is now your sanctuary place in this house, so you decide if you want them here.”

He smiled. He kissed her cheek. “I love you.”

She laughed. “Love you too, Handsome.”

He stepped outside. He looked at his family, while still holding Dean’s hand and said, “Let’s go.”

“Did you get kicked out of your house already?”Lucifer teased.

“No,” Castiel told him. “I just don’t want your guys’ negative energy in my home.”

“Our negative energy?” Naomi asked. “Really, Castiel.”

Michael looked at Dean and smiled. “Now I am disappointed that I let you talk me into letting you be with him, Castiel. He’s pretty.”

“Touch him and by pack law, the second in command Alpha has a right to snap you like a twig.”

Zachariah looked over his shoulder at Henry. “Your son’s not going to do--”

“Actually he wasn’t talking about John, Father,” Cas told him. “He was talking about me.” He looked at Michael. “And there’s not anything you can do to me here, Michael. Even if I was to shift right here in front of you.”

“ _DEAN! CASTIEL!_ ”

They both looked over to see a copper-colored wolf jog toward them. Castiel bent down and the Omega wolf stopped close to him. “ _What is it, Charlie?_ ”

“ _Some kids were messing around by the lake! Jo has fallen in_ _after the ice broke_ _trying to save them! You have to help her_!”

“ _Let’s Go_ ,” Henry quickly shifted, his fluffy graying tan colored coat bristling with concern. “ _I guess you get to show me how well you’ll do as my number two after all_.”

Without much thought for the fact that his family was there, he quickly shifted. His siblings looked at him in pure stunned horror. “Castiel!” Naomi yelled in horror.

“Leave him alone,” Dean command them. He looked at Cas. He knelt down, pressed his forehead to Cas’ furry one. “ _You come back to me, you hear? Don’t do anything stupid, Alpha. I love you_ ,” he told him telepathically.

“ _I love you_.” He nuzzled his neck into Dean. “ _Be prepared to warm me up, Baby_.”

He smiled and kissed his hair. “ _Just go, you Silly Alpha_.”

Without another word, Castiel, Henry, and William ran toward the lake. This was his first action as Second-in-Command Pack Alpha and he prayed he didn’t screw it up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up Next: Will Henry, William, Castiel, and the other Alphas save Jo and the children?


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the crisis...
> 
> Plus, Cas shows up as co-head Alpha. 
> 
> Gabriel remembers a traumatic experience that may explain his fear of his brothers.

“What’s going on?” Gabriel asked as he came up next to Dean.

Dean dropped his eyes to the older Alpha and exhaled. “Some of the Pack kids have fallen in the lake. My best friend went to try to save them and the ice broke, she’s now in the lake.”

“Oh, God...” Gabriel said. He saw his grandmother quickly shift into a chocolate-colored wolf and smiled. “Nice, grandma.”

_Thank you, Gabriel._

“Dear God, mother!”

Zachariah’s jaw hit the floor. “Your mother’s a Shifter?!”

Gabriel looked at his grandmother. “Hold up. I can hear you?” he asked. “I thought that was a Shifter thing?”

She winked at him. _“Let’s go.”_

 _“_ Lead me. I don’t know the woods like you do.”

She huffed in response. She took off in a dead sprint and Bart put a hand on Dean’s arm. “He’ll be okay.”

He sighed. “I know.” That didn’t stop him from worrying. He knew Cas was worried, he could feel it when he kissed him. He had a feeling he knew why the Alpha was worried.

Bart started running too to see if he could help in any way.

When Gabriel and Hester got through to the river clearing of the woods, it was a chaotic scene. Gabriel watched as his grandmother leaped forward and jumped into action to begin helping. Gabriel saw the pure black wolf that was his little brother and moved forward quickly. He was dragging a child to the shore and into the snow by the scruff of his neck. Gabriel walked to him and the wolf sat the child on the snow. Gabriel knew what was going to happen so he pulled his jacket off and began pumping on the little dark haired girl’s chest.

Castiel quickly shifted back to his human form and shivered. “When did you get here?”

“About ten minutes ago,” he said as Castiel breathed into her mouth. He continued the pumps.

“When did you learn CPR?” Benny asked the two brothers moving to them.

“First aid classes at the insistence of grandpa,” Gabriel told him and continued pumping on her chest again. “Come on, Sweetheart. Breathe!”

One last breath into her mouth and the girl began coughing. Castiel moved her to her side so she could cough up the water. “You’re okay, Sweetheart.”

She coughed again. Gabriel took the blanket from Benny and he wrapped her into it. Castiel looked around. “SAM!”

Sam turned his brown head and ran toward his brother-in-law. “Yeah?”

“Stay with her please. I’m going back in.”

He nodded. Castiel shifted back. “How many are there?”

“ _Besides Jo, four_ ,” Sam told him. “ _They listened to Grace, who told them the ice was safe_.”

“ _God damn it_!” Castiel exclaimed and bounded back to the water.

Gabriel watched him jump in and help an older wolf pulling in a blond haired girl. Cas pulled her up to the snow and Gabriel looked at Sam. “You got her?”

He nodded, knowing Non-shifters couldn’t hear him telepathically.

Gabriel nodded and moved to help his brother. “Who is this?” he asked.

“This is Jo,” Castiel told him shifting back. He shivered again. He looked down at Jo and said, “Don’t you dare die on me, Joanna Beth!”

The older Novak stared at him in surprise. “You really did have a life here before dad found out about your ability to shift.”

He nodded. “I did.” He sighed. He puffed air into her mouth 3 times and Gabriel pumped her chest 10 times. He puffed into her mouth again and said, “Did you know that grandma is a member of Arcadia, which by birth makes us both members?”

Gabriel stopped for a second in shock. “Really?” he asked as he pumped her chest.

He nodded as she gasped, coughing. He waited for her to start coughing up water and rolled her onto her side. He rested his forehead on her chest. “Thank God.”

Gabriel looked at the other Alphas. “Hey! Blanket!”

Neither of them moved. Castiel looked at them, standing he glared. “Get her a blanket, now!” he growled. He glared at them. “And from here on out there is no difference between a shifter and a non-shifter, understood?”

Cole Trenton, one of the nasty ones that liked to antagonize Dean scoffed. Castiel stormed to him and went eye to eye with him. “What was that?”

“There is a difference!” Cole yelled.

“Not to me!” he yelled. “Go!”

“I don’t--”

“I said go!” Castiel’s blue eyes flashed red. He looked at Benny. “Grab Jo a blanket, please.”

He nodded. “You got it, Brotha.”

Gabriel scoffed in disbelief. “Wow...your eyes went Alpha red and everything.”

He laughed awkwardly. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. That was pretty badass, but why are they suddenly jumping to attention with you?”

“Because Henry has chosen me with the blessing from the Wolf Council to become his successor.”

Gabriel took the blanket from the Cajun teenager. “Thanks, Man.” He smiled at Jo. “Here ya go, Small Fry.”

“Thanks,” she shivered.

He looked at his brother. “You’re going to be Pack Alpha?”

He nodded. “John’s been dethroned because of his actions with the gambling and selling Dean to clear the debt.” He looked at Jo. “You repeat that and I will let Dean deal with you.”

She shook her head. “No. Pack business is Pack business. I don’t hear you at all. Besides, the only one I’ve ever told is Charlie and that’s because she deserves to know.”

“Castiel!”

He turned his head to see Henry and Bart struggling to pull up another kid. He looked at his brother and they both went to them. They helped them pull the kid into the snow and they began CPR.

* * *

It’d been about 3 hours and Dean hadn’t moved from his spot. Well, unless you counted the pacing he did. He heard the crunch of movement in the snow and turned to look. He saw the group coming back and rushed to Cas. Cas stopped him. “Help grandpa. He’s got Jo and a bad back,” he told him as the curled haired little girl shifted on top of Castiel sleepily. Dean smiled. “Cute, Alpha.”

He huffed. “ _Later, Baby_ ,” he said roughly.

Gabriel looked around. “Where’s our parents and brothers?”

“Uncle Bobby and Rufus are watching them. With Ellen in the banquet hall.” Dean walked over to Bart and lifted Jo into his arms. “I gotcha, Sweetheart.”

He shifted her in his arms and they all trekked across the snow.

About 10 minutes later, they got to the compound clearing and walked in the direction of medical building. The other omegas were there getting warmers, warming blankets and other supplies ready for everyone when they got back. They got all of the water-logged members taken care of, but Cas stopped when he seen Zachariah, Naomi and his brothers walk in with Cole. He pointed at Cole and said with a booming voice he wasn’t sure had, “I don’t want to see you in here showing concern like you care!”

“I do--”

“You were going to let Jo freeze to death because you wouldn’t do what my brother told you!”

“He’s a--”

“I don’t care if he’s fucking King Tut! When there’s a crisis you do what you can, Jackass. Now get out!”

Cole looked at Henry and William. “You know how they treat--”

“But Gabriel doesn’t,” Henry assured him. “Besides, we’re supposed to work together in a crisis.” He nodded to the door. “Go.”

Lucifer looked at his brother and then Henry. “The place seems to be hopping when Cas starts telling people to do stuff.”

“As it should be,” William told them. He looked at the Novaks. “Your former family member is Henry’s second in commander. Some of them are protesting it, but the Council agrees and every pack member knows when the Council acknowledges it it’s a sure thing.”

“Billy!”

Zachariah saw the aging male Omega rush toward the oldest Winchester. “Are you Billy?”

“Only to him,” William glared at him. “What is it, Sweetheart?”

The older omega hugged him. “You okay?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” he kissed his lips. “Perfect now. However, I want you to meet Castiel’s family. This is Zachariah and Naomi Novak and these boys are theirs. Michael, Lucifer and Raphael.”

Nathaniel smiled. “Nice to meet you. We weren’t expecting you until tomorrow night.”

“Yeah. We wanted to check in on Castiel and Gabriel.”

Gabriel could be heard scoffing at his father’s “concern”. “What do you care? I’ve been living with Grandpa and Grandma since Cassie left and no one has come over there.”

“Your mother won’t go over to our house anyway,” Hester told him.

“Why not?” Dean asked curiously as he let his eyes drift Castiel who was changing out of his wet clothes.

“Because she thinks—always has—that there’s bestiality going on because Hester’s a wolf.”

“You can’t tell me you haven--”

“Actually we haven’t,” Hester told her daughter. “We’ve never done it. That time you walked in on us and we were cuddling while I was in wolf form wasn’t after sex, it was after I helped Henry and Millie with something and someone had died, Naomi.”

“So, are you a Shifter?” Zachariah asked disgustedly.

She looked at her husband. “I haven’t done it since we’ve been together. I don’t remember how.”

“Wait,” Gabriel asked looking at everyone. “Is that why I can understand Cas and grandma in wolf form?”

William smiled. “More than likely yes. Gabriel, do you know the story of when Cas first shifted?” He looked at Cas. “I don’t know if you remember this.”

“No, I don’t,” Cas replied.

“But the reason why,” Nathaniel picked up for his husband, “that Castiel discovered he could shift was because of Dean. Some kids at school were picking on Dean, calling him what they call him now, but he was four at the time so it hurt more. Dean started to cry and Cas saw him crying and heard the vicious words and jumped into action. His anger is what shifted him that first time.” Nathaniel looked at Naomi and Zachariah. “From that moment on you two have been trying to hide from the world what your son has always been.”

“It’s fucking embarrassing!”

Dean walked to Cas and put a warming blanket around him after he finished changing. He kissed his cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you,” Cas said softly.

Dean glared at Zachariah. “It’s not embarrassing. It’s who he is and if you can’t appreciate that then you are a sad excuse for a father and you and mine deserve each other.”

Castiel saw his father’s hand rise to hit Dean and before anyone else could respond, he stepped between his fiance and his father and said, “You do that I will quickly figure out what it feels like and tastes like to kill someone, remember that.”

“You’d go to prison--”

“Actually he wouldn’t,” William told him. “Pack law works differently than in the Non-Shifter laws.” He folded his arms over his chest. “Pack Law would redeem it justifiable, because you harmed his intended mate. He’s within his rights as Dean’s chosen Alpha to do what he has to do to protect his Omega.”

Dean looked at Gabriel, he seemed to be really out of it all of a sudden. He looked kinda freaked out actually. Dean’s entire body swept with something that instantly told him what he was seeing wasn’t normal. He walked to him. “Gabe, are you okay?”

He tensed, he stumbled back. Dean instantly caught him with Sam on the other side of him. Nathaniel looked at his husband and then at the 19-year-old. “Sit him on the couch,” Nathaniel told his grandsons.

They sat him down and Dean looked at his grandfather and then at Cas. “He’s shaking!”

“Is he having a seizure?” Sam asked curiously concerned.

Castiel shook his head. “No. Neither of us has a seizure disorder.” He flipped the blanket off his shoulders and knelt before his brother as Nathaniel rubbed his back soothingly. “When we were younger, um, I think he was seven or eight maybe, um, he used to suffer from panic attacks. I could never figure out why, but I remember how to pull him out.” He looked into his brother’s golden eyes. “Hey, Gabey, look at me.”

The golden eyes were frightened, panicked as he lifted them to Cas’ azure ones. Cas smiled reassuringly. “Hey. You’re okay. You’re safe. I’m here. Grandpa and grandma are here. Dean’s here, Sammy, Henry and Millie.”

Lucifer stepped forward and looked at Castiel. “I don’t think that’s working.”

Sam felt Gabriel start to violently shake at the sound of Lucifer’s voice. “It’s your brother or brothers,” he replied. “As soon as Lucifer started talking he just started shaking.”

Cas looked at Lucifer. “Either get out or shut the hell up!” he snapped.

“Hey, you little--”

“Castiel has spoken,” William told him. “Just because you don’t acknowledge it doesn’t make it not true. Castiel is in command of this pack just as much as Henry. Shut up or get out.”

Dean looked at Castiel. “Oh, God...Cas, he’s really shaking,” he said a little frightened.

Nathaniel looked at Castiel. “Let me sit in front of him, okay?”

He nodded and moved back. Nathaniel moved his aging body around to the table that sat in front of the couch—it was meant to be a waiting area in the medical building. He looked at Gabriel. “Hey, Handsome, look at me.”

Gabriel lifted his eyes to the hazel-eyed Omega. Nathaniel smiled softly. “There’s a memory in there that you’re remembering. I know it’s scary, but Granddad Henry and I right here and I promise you Grandpa Bart and Grandma Hester are here too. You’re completely safe. Just tell us what you remember.”

“Um...I can’t...it’s...” he stuttered.

Castiel moved around to the back of the couch and moved Michael out of the way. “Go away.” He sat on the back of the couch and slid down until he was curled into a ball behind his big brother and best friend. He rubbed his back. “Come on, Gabey, you can do it. You can do anything.”

“I don’t remember much,” he murmured.

“Doesn’t matter,” Nathaniel said soothingly. “Tell us what you do remember.”

Hester knelt beside him. “Come on, Baby, you can do it.”

“Cassie had shifted again...” his voice trailed off as he tried to remember. “...he must have been seven maybe...Michael and Lucifer caught him this time and basically ambushed him...” He closed his eyes and shook his head. “No...I can’t!”

Castiel looked at Dean and wrapped his arms around Gabriel. He held tight. “Yes, you can. You can do anything, Gabey. Just take a few breaths and try again...for me?”

Gabriel sighed, resigned. The Alpha knew he’d do anything for him. “...I had just turned eleven. I was tired of watching my baby brother get the shit kicked out of him for something he couldn’t control.”  
“So, what happened?” Nathaniel asked. He caressed his face in that reassuring grandfatherly way he had about him. “What did you do?”

“I...I...I snapped,” he answered. “I mean I literally snapped.” He looked at Nathaniel and continued, “I mean I literally snapped.” He looked at his grandparents. “I shifted...” That realization floored him.

Hester looked at him a little surprised. “What? You never told us that.”

“Because I couldn’t...” he whispered. “I had pinned Michael to the floor. I think I was able to do it because I had caught him off guard. Before I could do anything more I felt a hard hit to my torso that had me off Michael quickly.”

“What happened next?” William asked gently.

“Nothing...I don’t…I don’t remember.”

Nathaniel smiled and placed a reassuring kiss to his forehead. “It’s okay, Sweetheart. You don’t need to right now. It’ll come when it can.”

Dean smiled at his brother-in-law. “So you couldn’t let Cas have one thing could you?” he teased.

Gabriel laughed softly and shoved at his shoulder. “Shut up.”

Castiel smiled and placed his cheek on Gabe’s back as Sam asked, “What color are you? It’s for my curiosity and for when grandpa registers you.”

“Um...brownish blond?” he questioned, trying to remember.

Sam smiled and said, “I could see it. Matches the mop on your head.” He ruffled his hair.”

He looked at the older wolves. “Do you think I’ll ever be able to do it?”

Hester nodded. “Yeah. You’ll be able to do it.”

“But mom--”

“Your mother doesn’t remember because she doesn’t want to. Your father would hate her even more than he already does.” She smiled up at him. “The first shift is always difficult that’s why it happens during emotional distress most of the time.” She smiled up at him, her eyes watery for the pain that her youngest grandsons felt. She kissed his forehead. “Unless you have supportive people, that is. You know I was scared the first time I shifted in front of grandpa. We’d been together about a month. My parents told me not to hide it from him so I took him out to the old drive in spot and did it. It hurt, I remember that. It hurt because I was so scared. I was already in love with your grandpa by that point so this was either going to strengthen us or it was going to tear us apart.”

“What happened?”

“I thought she was a werewolf and I thought she was going to kill me.” He laughed. “But she stayed in her spot and waited for me. It took some adjusting, but we got past it.” He kissed her hand. “Now I just see her wolf as an extension of her. She’s beautiful either way.”

Millie looked at him. “If you want I can help you? I helped Dean and Sam learn how to do it and control it even when they’re emotional.”

He smiled. He took her hand. “You’re as nice as Cassie always told me you would be.”

She laughed. “Well, thank you.”

He sighed. He closed his eyes. “My head hurts.”

Nathaniel smiled and kissed his forehead as he stood. “You’ll be okay, Baby, I promise.”

“I know,” he murmured. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

The door swung up hurriedly. Charlie rushed in and looked around. She saw Jo putting her shirt back on after being checked out. “Jo!”

Jo turned and laughed as she found her arms filled with the bubbly redhead. “Hey, Sweetheart.”

“Are you okay?”

She nodded. “Fine,” she said. ‘Thanks to Castiel and the elder Alphas.”

Castiel pushed himself off of the couch, but fell back as he found himself being plowed into by a grateful Charlie. He kept his arms around her as they fell back on the couch, being helped by Gabriel. “Hey, Red.”

“Hi.” She kissed him on the lips. “Thank you.”

He laughed and sat up. “You’re welcome.” He whispered, “Gabe helped too and he could deserve a Charlie hug.”

She smiled and got off of the Alpha. She walked over to Gabriel and pushed Dean out of the way and hugged him tightly. “Thank you for saving Jo.”

He smiled and hugged her back. “Sure thing, Red.”

Like she did Castiel, she kissed Gabriel—purely platonic—on the mouth. “You’re a good guy, for a Non-shifter.”

Henry laughed. “Actually, Charlie, there’s been a development. It would seem that that the two youngest Novaks are shifters after all. We have to help Gabe though. He has some mental blocks to get past before he can start shifting at will.”

She smiled and high-fived him. “Awesome. Welcome to the pack, G.” She looked him up and down and smiled. “Dirty blond or light brown. Whichever way you wanna say it, am I right?”

Castiel nodded. “We’re thinking so. The memory’s a little fuzzy for him yet.”

“Awesome. Well, when you are able to shift at will—you and me—race around the compound. Whoever wins buys dinner.”  
He laughed. “You’re on.”

Dean looked at his friends and family and said, “Let’s go eat before Ellen sends out a search party.”

“She would too,” Jo laughed as she pulled her jacket on.

* * *

They stumbled into the banquet hall laughing hysterically. Raphael followed behind them muttering, “It wasn’t that funny.”

“Was too!” the group said in unison, still laughing.

Gabriel looked at his older brother, laughing. “Dude, you face-planted into the snow like Goofy does, man. It was awesome!”

He growled and walked away. Castiel rolled his eyes. “Oh, Raph, lighten up a little bit.”

Just then, a familiar song filled the room and Raphael turned, revenge in his gaze. “Oh, yeah? You think so, Little Brother? Then do your routine to this one.”

Castiel sighed. It was Run-DMC’s It’s Like That. He hadn’t done anything like that in about 7 years. “I don’t know if I can since you shattered my leg, Jackass.”

Raphael straightened. Gabriel tapped his arm. “I’ll do it with you, Baby Brother.”

He nodded. “Okay.” He turned to Dean and asked in a whisper, “Whatever happens promise me that you’ll still show up Saturday?”

He laughed and kissed him. “Not even the Nor’easter could keep me away, Alpha.” He kissed him and whispered, “Impress me.”

Gabriel looked at Castiel and said, “If you’re not feeling up to this then we don’t have to do it.”

Cas shook his head. “No. It’s okay.” He took a deep breath. “I think I’ll be okay.”

“Okay. Any time you don’t think you can tell me and I shut it down, okay?”

He nodded. Gabriel went down to the other side of the room. They waited until the right cue and Cas took a deep breath and exhaled. Dean moved up next to Raphael, with Benny standing on the other side, with Jo behind him. Dean whispered, “If he gets hurt because your pride’s been hurt I will seriously hurt you...” he looked at the Alpha, “...are we clear?”

“Crystal, but you’re an Omega--”

“Just because I’m an Omega doesn’t mean I can’t kick your pansy Alpha ass.”

Castiel looked at Gabriel, nodding. When he nodded they started running down the room and about a quarter of the way down, he began doing cartwheels, that turned into back flips down the room, about halfway down the room they went along next to each other, in perfect time with each other.

“Holy shit,” Jo whispered as they watched him.

Dean smiled as he watched his Alpha do back-flips down the room. He had to admit he was impressed.

Right before the lyrics kicked up again, they did another set of flips, before spring upwards to do a high back flip, where they twisted and landed with ease, at the same time. Castiel sighed when he realized he landed and it didn’t hurt and it didn’t feel like he pulled anything.

The teenagers started screaming excitedly. Sam looked up at Dean. “That was kinda cool!”

“Very,” Dean murmured, his eyes on Cas. He felt his heart almost literally swell in his chest. Cas came to him and he hugged him tight. “That was amazing, Baby.”

He hugged him back. “Thank you.” He sighed.

“How’s your leg?” Gabriel asked a little concerned.

“I’m good,” he nodded to assure him. “Really I am.”

“Castiel.”

He looked up and smiled at Henry. “Hey. Everything okay?”

He nodded. “Can I talk to you for a moment?”

They walked to the back of the room and faced each other. “Is everything okay?”

He nodded. “As my second there’s something I want to say to you and something we need to discuss.”

“Okay.”

“I know we haven’t talked about what your duties will be or anything, so what you did today without being told what to do or anything was amazing and I appreciate it more than I can ever tell you.”

“You’re welcome.” He sighed. “Honestly, I was so nervous.”

He laughed softly. “I could see that. Well, you and Gabriel did amazingly well. I was actually impressed with it.”

He smiled. “He’s pretty cool like that.”

“Well, that’s what I wanted to talk you about. Normally we don’t allow non-shifters to join us, however, I’ve always considered your grandfather different than other non-shifters. He accepts us, he accepts your grandmother and loves her more for it. So, I think he would have made an excellent wolf, however that’s not what happened.”

Castiel nodded. “Sir, if I may, are you trying to ask me if I’m okay with grandpa, grandma--”

“And your brother staying here. Do you have a problem with them living here?”

He shook his head. “No. I would appreciate it actually. Gabe’s my best friend. Dean is too, but with our little hiccup I needed--”

“There is no reason to explain yourself to me. I know you love and care about my grandson.”

“I do, more than anything. I think it would be amazing to have grandpa Bart, grandma Hester and Gabriel living with us.”

“Good, because they’ll be living in the main house with us.”

“Can that happen? I mean, bedroom wise?”

He nodded. “Yes. My parents are staying for awhile too, which gives us a full house if your grandparents and Gabriel stay.”

“Awesome,” he said smiling. “I love your parents.”

He smiled. “Me too.” He put an arm around his shoulders. “Remind me to tell you about when Millie and my papa met. That was a lot of fun.” He sighed. “It hasn’t been easy being the son of two men that’s for sure. My parents and you and Dean’s relationship wasn’t accepted when I was growing up, but now everyone knows it’s not about anything psychological, but it is biological. I’m glad you and Dean won’t have the same problems that my parents have.”

“Me too.”

And he was never more honest. He couldn’t wait for Saturday when he could finally leave the Novaks behind and start a whole new life with his new family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NEXT UP: Dean and Castiel's mating ceremony and the big party.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mating Ceremony

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All right, all, the first installment of The Story of Us is coming to a close. There are only 2 chapters left of this story. At the end of the story I will place links to my next stories if you'd like to read them.

Dean exhaled. It was D-day.

Okay, D-day may be a bit dramatic, but he was actually nervous. Not for mating with Cas. He was nervous that his family would start something and cause a scene just because, especially his mother.

“You know, if you don’t want to do this we can jump in your Impala and get the hell out of here.”

Dean laughed at Benny’s statement when he entered the banquet hall reception room. It was actually for receiving guests, but it was now his room to get ready for the ceremony. “Thanks, Ben, but no. I want to do this. I’m just worried that Cas’ family will be stupid and do something idiotic at the ceremony.” He sighed. “After everything they’ve been through I want it to be perfect for him.”

Jo smirked. “Aww...aren’t you cute.”

Dean rolled his eyes and fixed his tie. “Shut up,” he muttered.

“Do you think he’ll be there?” Cole asked.

Dean looked through the mirror at him. “Dude, you’re still not pissed about Wednesday are you? Because that’s kinda stupid if you are. Cas has moved on from it. Gabe, Hester and Bart are living here now--”

“What’s with Henry allowing a non-shifter to live here?” Cole asked. “Non-Shifters aren’t supposed to be here.”

Dean rolled his eyes. “Bart’s not like other shifters. He’s married to one, Cole. That’s a completely different matter. And it’s good for Cas to have others who believe in him like I do and my grandparents.”

Benny looked at Cole. “You know, if you have a problem with Gabe, Bart and Hester being here you could always take it up with William and Nathaniel, but you know what they’ll tell ya.”

“What am I going to tell someone?”

Dean smiled when he saw his grandpa walking in. “Hey, Grandpa.” He turned. He posed for him and the older Winchester smiled. “Whatcha think?”

“You look like your grandfather the day we had our mating ceremony.”

He smiled and kissed his cheek. “Thanks, Grandpa. Did you see Cas?”

He nodded. “Yeah. Lucifer and him almost came to blows because he mentioned Cas letting him and Michael have fun with you before he commits himself to you.”

He cringed. “I hate those guys.”

Nathaniel walked to him and kissed his cheek. “Just think after today you don’t have to ever see them again. Castiel told your granddad that he won’t see his parents or the three brothers again. Which granddad reminded him they still have to have a punishment from the Council so it may be a little difficult even if he wanted.” He laughed.

Dean laughed with him. He exhaled, content, but still nervous.

Nathaniel wrapped his arms around his waist as Dean turned back to the mirror. “First and foremost, remember that he loves you. I know you were a little worried about whether when you have kids are begin to age if he’ll start to regret anything, but committed Alphas aren’t like that, Baby D. He’s been protecting you and loving you since you were four years old. You don’t find that everyday, honey. And if Granddad didn’t believe he’d continue he would have never encouraged your grandpa to allow the mating to happen this soon.”

“That was granddad?”

He nodded. “He’s known for awhile that you and Cas have liked each other. He wants you happy and he believes that Cas will do that or die trying.” He smiled. “And for Granddad that’s all he needs to do is try.” He hugged him. “I love you, Baby D.”

He smiled. Nathaniel had been calling him that since he was born. He did it now only during emotional moments like this one. He exhaled as his eyes filled with tears. “Let’s do this!” he said and cleared his throat.

* * *

The music began filling the room and Castiel smiled as he saw the doors open and Dean began walking up to him being bookend by William and Henry. It was in the Arcadia tradition for the Omega to be escorted to his or her new Alpha and Cas’ heart swelled when he saw Dean in the tan and white cotton of the Arcadia Omega Wedding tradition. He himself wore black pants and a white cotton shirt. If anyone else was to look in on this wedding it’d look like a hippy commune the way they were dressed.

Henry kissed Dean’s cheek and then Castiel’s. As the High Alpha, it was symbolic for him to take Dean’s hand and place it into Castiel’s. However, it was out of affection for both of them that he took their joined hands and kissed the tops of them. He took his position on the platform to start the ceremony.

“Today, we are here to celebrate the love, commitment and bond that is shared between this Alpha and this Omega. The bond between an Alpha and an Omega is strong. The connection between an Alpha shifter and an Omega shifter is a special spiritual connection that two wolves can share. It’s the union of heart, body, and mind in a commitment if taken seriously can withstand any trials and tribulations that life can throw at them. Therefore, this commitment is not to be entered into lightly, but reverently, deliberately and in accordance with the purposes it was intended. Before they say the commitment vows, Dean and Castiel would like to say their own promises before all of us...their pack, their family. Dean, go ahead.”

Dean turned to Castiel and gave him a giant toothy smile. His grass green eyes were filled with tears and Cas prayed they were happy tears, but judging by the smile they were. He took a deep breath and began, “Cas, I don’t remember a time that I didn’t love you. Hell, if you ever doubted my feelings, just remember I tried to mate with you when we were kids.” The Pack laughed softly and Dean winked at him cheekily before he continued, “Of course then, I missed my mark, but the intent was there. I stand here today with open arms to promise you everlasting love, understanding and hope for the tomorrows yet to come.” He cleared his throat as a tear slid down his cheek. “I promise to be your partner in times of joy and times of trouble, to provide for, and support you in friendship, trust, and love. I promise to work with you to build our lives together. May we grow our lives intertwined, our love bringing us closer. Let’s create a home of love, peace and happiness...and someday lots and lots of babies. I promise you today, tomorrow and forever that I will love you and promise to stand by you through everything and through whatever you make.”

Castiel sniffed, wiping one of his eyes quickly. He looked at Henry and he nodded. He began, a little choked up at first, “Dean, I have loved you for as long as I can remember and it grows stronger and stronger with each day. I pledge to love you forever, to be open, honest and faithful to you. To nurture your spirit and support your dreams. To honor your thoughts and feelings. I promise to stand with you as we share this life. May my heart be your shelter, my arms be your refuge for when your strength alone will not carry you through, my strength will forever be there for you. I open my heart fully to you with the promise of everlasting love, understanding and hope for our future. Side by side, step by step, may we journey together through our forever more in love than we are today.”

Henry smiled and continued with his part, “I ask you, Omega Winchester, do you consciously enter into this union as Castiel’s intended Omega to help him, guide him and love him unconditionally through the rest of your days?”

Dean smiled, his love for him shining through his watery green eyes. “I do enter this commitment with full knowledge of what is expected of me as Alpha Novak’s Omega and as the Pack’s future High Omega.”

He turned to Castiel, “I ask you, Alpha Novak, do you consciously enter into this union as Dean’s intended Alpha to care for him, help him, guide him and love him unconditionally through the rest of your days?”

“I do enter this commitment with full knowledge of what is expected of me as Omega Winchester’s Alpha and as the Pack’s future High Alpha.”

“Now, traditionally this is where the start of the bite would have taken place, however, being that these two were together before this arrangement was made, I get to say this, Castiel, you may kiss your Omega.”

The newly mated and married couple smiled at each other, as they closed in. He tucked his hand behind the Omega’s neck and gently pulled his mouth to his. Dean felt the heat behind it explode and tucked a hand at the side of the neck as they kissed.

Henry smiled, “I give you Alpha Castiel and Omega Dean Winchester!”

The entire Pack cheered happily. They ended the kiss and Dean hugged him, turning his face into his neck. “I love you.”

Cas smiled and whispered, his heart swelling with happiness and love. “I love you.”

Dean kissed his neck. “Let’s go party.”

“That sounds like a very good idea.”

* * *

As the reception started, everyone mingled and laughed, having fun with one another. Dean listens absently as one of the elder Council members tried to tell him how to be a good Omega to a High Alpha. His eyes scanned the room for his Alpha. He smiled and looked at the blond-haired woman. “Excuse me, I’m going to go get my Alpha.” He excused himself again and walked to Castiel, who was standing with his brothers. He wrapped his arms around his waist and sighed. “Will you come on stage with me? There’s something I want to do for Granddad, Grandpa, Grandpa, and Grandma.”

He nodded and slipped his hand into Dean as the Omega led him to the stage. He took the microphone and the two stood together. Benny took his place behind the DJ table that Charlie had set up for the dancing. Dean nodded. He used his leg to make the room quiet down. He smiled. “Before Cas and I dance tonight, we wanted to pay tribute to the couples that I know have inspired me to mate for love—even if they didn’t start that way—and nothing more.” He smiled. “I don’t know if many of you know this, but the Winchesters started with a male Alpha and a male Omega. Now, they may not have started out even liking each other when they were arranged sixty some odd years ago, but I think their love has grown into an amazing love story of their own. So, Grandpa Nathaniel and Granddad William, if you wouldn’t mind, could you step forward please?”

Over to Dean’s right he saw Benny beginning to cue up their first dance. Dean smiled, “My entire life I have watched you two and from the moment I manifested as an Omega...(he heard his father huff)...get over it, dad. You have an Omega as a son.” He looked at his grandparents. “If it wasn’t for you two falling in love—and if you weren’t when you mated don’t ruin the image of it—then neither of us would be standing here today. So, with that said, I thought you’d enjoy this.” He looked at Benny and nodded.

He nodded and tapped the space bar and an old Frank Sinatra song filled the room. Nathaniel smiled and looked at his husband. William walked to him and instead of embracing each other like they did over 60 years ago—which was in true slow dance form—the extremely loving couple embraced each other as longstanding lovers would. Nathaniel wrapped his arms around his Alpha’s neck and William went around his Omega’s waist.

_Day by day, I'm falling more in love with you_

_And day by day, my love seems to grow_

_There isn't any end to my devotion_

_It's deeper, dear, by far than any ocean_

Nathaniel smiled up at him. “You know if you would have told me that I’d be standing here with you—after watching our great-grandson get married—extremely in love with you I probably wouldn’t have believed you then.”

William chuckled. “Probably not.” He sighed. “God, I was such a jerk then.” He kissed his lips. “How’d you put up with me?”

“It’s not like I had a choice,” Nathaniel said, smirking. It was now their inside joke that Nathaniel fell in love with him because the Alpha wouldn’t let him. “We were mated, but I wasn’t going to let you treat me horrible either.” He lifted his eyes to his. “Which you really didn’t.” He ran his fingers through the hair at the back of his neck. “Did I ever tell you the moment that I fell in love with you?”

“Um...” he thought about it as the 2nd verse started. “...I don’t think so.”

“It was about four months into our marriage-mating and your great-grandmother hadn’t been very nice to me. She actually hated me and basically told me so. You walked in as I was storming out, tears streaming down my face, and you defended me.” He exhaled. “Being a male Omega then that was a big deal. To have your Alpha not take his family’s side, but your own.” He kissed him deeply. “Thank you for showing our children and grandchildren what a good Alpha is like, because if you weren’t you, Billy, I don’t think Dean would have found him,” he thumbed behind them where Dean and Cas were slow dancing.”

As the song started to fade, William bent his head and took his husband’s mouth in a passionate explosive kiss. He pulled away and sighed. “I Love you, Nate. I always will.”

The song ended and the reception guests clapped.

Without another speech, Benny played the next song and Millie laughed. She allowed Henry to sweep her into his arms as Barry White’s deep voice filled the room with Can’t Get Enough of Your Love. She sighed as she looked into his eyes. “Remind me later to thank your Papa for falling in love with your dad.”

“Why’s that, Sweetheart?” he asked, then spun her as they danced like they had when they married several years before.

“Because if he hadn’t I wouldn’t have met you that day our Freshman year in high school when one of the football players knocked my books into a mud puddle and you helped me pick them up.”

He laughed softly. “One of the best days of my life.” He kissed her deeply. “Thank you for saying yes.”

“It’s not like the bitch would have let me say no.”

He chuckled. She liked to tease that her Omega wolf browbeat her into saying yes to his proposal. He smiled down at her, his voice teasing her too. “Yeah, that wolf is quite the greedy slut.”

They both laughed as he spun her out completely. When he spun her back in, he kissed her so deeply she stopped and fell into the kiss. He pulled back and he smiled. “I love you, Millie. To the moon and stars.”

When that song ended, instead of Dean making the speech for his parents, Castiel did. “Under normal circumstances I would be praising this man for helping bring the man of my dreams into the world, but considering what he did I can’t.” He sighed. “So, I will say this...thank you for loving each other enough at least for five years of your marriage to not only give me Dean but to give Dean his best friend.”

Boyzone’s version of I Love the Way You Love Me filled the room and they watched as Dean’s parents awkwardly slow danced together.

Dean sighed and leaned into Cas. “Promise me something?”

“The world,” he murmured.

“When we have kids and they get old enough that we won’t arrange their marriages or even sell--”

“Absolutely not,” Cas interjected and kissed him. “They’re going to choose their own forever...” he took Dean’s face in his hands. “Just like we did.” He kissed with more love and power than he had ever kissed him before. He sighed as he pulled back.

Dean looked up at him. “What was that for?”

“No reason,” he said softly. “Just because I can kiss you any way I want and there’s no one in this room that can ever say anything about it...except you of course.”

When John and Mary’s dance was finished, Sam’s voice could be heard. “I’d like to say something.” He sighed. “You may have given me crap growing up like any other brother in the world, but you’re also not like any other brother in the world. I have never once questioned your love for me and how much you would go to the ends of the Earth for me. And I want you to know I love you not only because you’re my big brother and I have idolized you every day since I was four years old, but because you’re my best friend...my rock.” He smiled at them both. “And I love you both.” His smile widened at Cas. “And it’s about danged time you became a member of this family.” He looked at everyone as he said, “Not to bring this fun time down, but now that I have the microphone and the Novaks are here I’d like to say something to you.”

He cleared his throat. “You know, you may have thought you were protecting your reputation in town, but you have no idea what you did to a four-year-old kid that day that you banned Cas from coming around again.” He sighed as his eyes welled with tears. “You not only took away my brother’s best friend, but you took away my big brother and I will never ever forgive you for that. In fact, I hate you for that.” He glared at them. “What you did to him and to Gabriel is inexcusable. I don’t care what you think you were trying to do...to prevent someone from being who they are is the most hurtful thing you can do to them. As their parents you’re supposed to foster their differences not make them feel like crap for them— _ **dad**_ —you’re supposed to love them despite all of it because they are a half of you.”

He cleared his throat. “Anyway...so, Cas, welcome home. I know you’re going to be an amazing High Alpha.” He smiled as he said, “And I love you, Big Brother.”

Without worrying about anyone giving him crap for it, Cas walked to Sam and hugged him. “Thank you, Sam.” He sighed. “I love you too.” He exhaled, trying to keep his voice from cracking with the tears. “And with your brother, mine and you by my side I know I can run the pack when I need to.”

Henry smiled and took the microphone from his youngest grandson. “Thanks for not a dry eye in the house, Sammy. Appreciated.”

Like he used to when he was younger the kid stuck his tongue out at him. Henry laughed. “It’s with great pleasure and love that I introduce Castiel and Dean Winchester in their first dance as a mated couple. Hope it’s going to be the start of many more.”

Benny pressed enter and Journey’s With Your Love began playing.

Dean and Castiel went into each other’s arms, holding each other like Nathaniel and William held each other. As they swayed to the music, Dean whispered in his ear:

A state of grace... I feel blessed to hold your hand

There's a room in my heart and you've unlocked

A door

That no one's ever opened before

With your love I'm not alone...

In your world: I'm never far away from home

A life I thought I'd never find...

In your eyes I see all that I am with your love

On my own... I searched for something more

In your arms... The kiss I've waited for

I was lost for words... To say what's in my heart

Just to be close... To the beauty that you are

If someone could see to the end of our lives

I know they'd find me there by your side

Cas smiled when he finished. “That was beautiful, Baby. Thank you.”

He kissed him. “How much longer do you think we gotta stick around?” He looked into his eyes. “I wanna be alone with my husband.”

Cas’ smile widened. He loved the sound of that. “Mmm,” he hummed. “I think that’s going to be my new favorite word.”

He laughed softly. “Mine too.”

* * *

They only spent another hour at the reception, before Cas wrapped his arms around Dean’s waist and pulled him through a side entrance. Once outside, he pinned the Omega against the cool wood of the building. He kissed him deeply. He growled into his mouth. “I want you naked...” Cas murmured.

“Going to fuck me, Alpha?”

“Among other things,” he whispered. He looked into Dean’s eyes. “May I take you to the mating cottage and fuck you and make love to you until it’s daylight again?”

He laughed softly and nodded. “Absolutely.”

They ran across the yard to the mating cabin and Dean opened the door. He pulled his shirt off and turned to Cas. He helped him pull his off. “On the bed,” Cas growled.

“Presenting?” Dean asked.

“No,” Castiel said. “Not if we’re going to mate this time. I want to look at you when we do it.”

He nodded. “So, you really want to do that?”

He nodded. “More than anything.” Cas sighed. “I’ve been wanting to be yours since we were kids.”

They kissed, nipping and tearing at each other’s mouths. Cas lightly pushed him on the bed and began kissing him up and down his body. Dean moaned. “God, Cas...that feels so good.”

He pulled his pants off and wrapped his hand around Dean’s erection, the scent of slick filling his nostrils. He knelt at the side of the bed and took the Omega into his mouth. “Oh, Dear...God!” Dean exclaimed.

Cas placed a hand on his abs to hold him in place as he began pulling his mouth up and going back down. With each pump of his mouth he went faster. He moved the hand from Dean’s torso and dropped it between his legs. He took his thumb and pressed it against Dean’s hole.

Dean felt the pleasure pump through him wildly. “Oh, fuck...” He looked down his body to Cas. He looked so hot using his mouth on him like that. He arched off the bed when he felt the Alpha’s finger slip inside of him. “Oh, Cas...”

“You’re doing great, Baby. So good.”

“Cas!” he exclaimed as he began to pump 2 fingers in and out of him. “Baby, please...”

He smiled and went over him. He lined himself and slowly entered him. Dean moaned and looked up at him. “It’s been way too damn long.”

He laughed. “Baby, it’s only been two days.”

He tucked his hand behind his neck and pulled his mouth to his. He kissed him deeply and groaned, “Too damn long.”

Cas snickered and began moving in and out of him. He put one hand beside Dean as he began thrusting harder into him. “Are we biting?” he asked between thrusts.

“Fuck...” Dean muttered, “...yes,” he told him. “I want you all over me. Your...” he moaned. “Damn, Cas, right there, Baby...” He shook his head. “Don’t stop.”

“If I bite, you bite, right?”

Dean looked at him. “You were serious about….” he tilted his head back as the head of Cas’ cock hit his prostate. “Holy…” He looked at Cas.

Cas stopped. “Dean, you’re my mate, my husband. I belong to you.” He shook his head. “I know Omegas hate that word, but I’m saying it to you first so I can say this. “I want you to belong to me as much as I belong to you. Mind, body and soul.” He smiled. “I was even thinking...” he began to slowly pump in and out of him again. “...that after we mate and bond for the next seventy-two hours that we could shift at some point during the night and mate that way.”

Dean looked at him, bewilderment on his face. “You’re absolutely sure you want to belong to each other like that? That goes beyond--”

“Yes,” he told him. “More than anything. Please.”

He smiled. He sat up and pulled him forward. “Okay,” he said. “You have me. Mind, body, soul...and wolf. Now mate me, Alpha.”

Cas didn’t need any more words after that. He pumped into him like a wild man, as if tonight would be his last time ever doing this. Soon, Dean was screaming as his orgasm slammed into him like a Mack truck. Cas thrust one more time, his knot catching inside of him. He leaned forward and bit into Dean, nice and hard and deep as Dean did the same for him. The mix of blood and hormones causing them both to be pushed over the edge more.

After Cas’ second fill into his husband, he extracted his teeth from his shoulder. His head felt like it was spinning and his body felt this contentedness that he had never felt before. “Wow...”

Dean let his arms fall, too exhausted and sated by amazing sex to lift his arms. “What?”

“This feels amazing.”

“The mating?”

“Uh-huh,” he murmured. He looked at Dean’s shoulder. “Oh, Baby, you’re bleeding.”

“It’s okay,” he said. “So are you.” He swiped a finger at the blood and showed it to him. Cas released into him again. Dean gasped. “That will never get old.”

Cas looked down at him. This overwhelming amount of love swept through him. He took his mouth desperately. “I love you,” he panted. “And I mean that. I absolutely and truly love you.”

Dean looked up into his devoted blue eyes and smiled. “I love you too, Cas. Wish I could express it like you, but there it is.” He kissed him. He groaned as he pulled back, Cas was getting hard again. “Again, Alpha? Your knot is still inside of me.”

He laughed. “Can’t help it.”

Dean laughed, his heart swelling with love for the man. If the next 60 years was going to be just like this then Dean couldn’t wait to share them with him.

* * *

**-3 Days Later…**

The next 3 days were filled with sex, orgasms, and love. More love than either of them knew what to do with. Both exhausted from the earlier morning activities had them both sleeping until almost noon. Finally, when lunch was about to hit, they both showered—had sex in said shower—dressed, and headed into the banquet hall, hand in hand.

When they entered the banquet hall, they heard a commotion and turned to see Gabe in full-on wolf mode with Zachariah pinned below him. Cas looked around for Henry, when he didn’t see him he knew he’d have to step in. He dropped Dean’s hand and ran to where Gabe had him pinned and Sam was trying to talk to him. Castiel stopped. “What in the hell is going on?”

“Castiel, get him off me!” Zachariah screamed.

He looked down at his father. “Shut up, Zachariah.” He looked at Gabe, then to Sam. “Sam, what happened?”

“Your dad insulted me and Gabe reacted.”

“What did he say?” Dean asked.

“He asked if I was going to end up being an Omega bitch like my brother.” He sighed. “My scent’s shifting.”

Dean sighed. Ahh...Sammy was beginning to manifest. He looked up to see Barry, Sam’s best friend. “Barry, go find my grandfathers please?”

“Yes, sir.”

Castiel looked at Gabe. He stood at the size of a medium-sized wolf. Sandy brown fur and golden eyes with a fleck of red in them. He smirked. “Well, it looks like I owe you twenty bucks, Sam.”

Sam snickered. That seems to get Gabe to snap out of it. “ _What_?”

Castiel looked at his brother. “Get off Zachariah, Gabe. One of the laws in the pack, Brother. No attacking visitors unless they threaten said pack and being ignorant isn’t a threat.”

Gabriel did as Cas asked and he looked down at himself. “I shifted…?” He looked at Sam. “I shifted!”

Sam chuckled. “Yeah, I know.”

Castiel heard Henry and William enter the banquet hall, their Omegas close behind. He looked down at the man who helped give him life and said, “After lunch, I want you, Naomi and your sons off my property. Are we clear?”

“Your property?” Zachariah questioned, standing.

“It’s his pack too, Zachariah,” Henry told him. “And you heard what he said. You only wanted to stay for the ceremony and to see proof that they exchanged bites.” He nodded to both boys. They flashed their matching bites.

Castiel looked at his father. “Yes, Zachariah, I let him bite me back.” He closed the gap between him and his father and said in a lower tone. “And just so you know I bit him as my wolf too.”

The older man gave him a face that showed his disgust. “You had sex with a wolf?”

He nodded. “As my own wolf. So, after I want all out of pack--”

“Castiel--”

“Do I make myself clear, Zachariah?”

“Why do you keep calling me that?”

“Because you’re no longer my father. When I stood on that altar and took vows with Dean and Henry introduced us both as Winchester—that was my way of denouncing the Novak name. I no longer want to be associated with bigots and arrogant jerks who think they’re no better than the rest of us. So, as of this moment you no longer have any reason to be here. However, I’ll allow you to eat your lunch, but then I want you off my land.” He glared at him. “Do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal.”

“Good. Now go eat and shut the hell up about wolves who are starting to scent.” He looked at Sam. “What do you smell like?”

“Um...”

“Peppermint,” Gabe told him without thinking.

Castiel didn’t acknowledge it. He just nodded. “Huh. Interesting, Baby, is grandpa Nate’s scent, peppermint?”

“It is,” William said. “Peppermint and hot chocolate.” He smiled. “You know you could match us in scent, right?”

Sam nodded. “Dean smells like grandma.”

Nate nodded. “He does.” He looked at everyone and then stopped on Gabe. “Nice. You shifted.”

“Yeah, sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. You saved my grandson. That’s all I care about.” He smiled at Gabe. “Let’s go eat.”


	15. Chapter 15

“Sammy!” Dean yelled from the landing. “If you don’t get your skinny beanpole ass down here we’re leaving without you!”

“I’m coming!” Sam yelled from his room. He came down a few seconds later and smiled at Charlie. “By the way, I figured out who writes that mystery series you like so much.”

Charlie jogged up to him. “You gotta tell me!”

He laughed. “Um...” he winked at Castiel and smiled at his brother. “It’s actually a double team.”

“Really?” Jo asked as they walked to the van.

Dean turned to Castiel. “You drive, please?”

He nodded. “Of course.” He kissed him softly.

“So who is it?” Benny asked as he came up to the van.

“CG Novak.”

Charlie looked behind her. “Relation, Cas?”

He nodded as he slid into the driver’s seat. “He is actually. Well, they are. I know one very intimately and the other grew up across the hall from me.”

Dean froze sliding into the passenger seat. “Oh, holy shit...”

“What?” Lisa asked as she slid into the van. “Who is it?”

The green-eyed Omega’s jaw hit the middle console. “No fucking way...”

Castiel laughed. He leaned over the console and kissed his mouth shut. “I love you.”

“Love you too,” he murmured.

Jo thought about it for a minute and gasped just as Charlie squealed. Jo slapped the back of Cas’ seat. “No fuckin’ way! No fuckin’ way!”

The blue-eyed Alpha continued to laugh. Sam looked at his brother-in-law. “Did he happen to tell you what he plans on doing with the money?”

He shook his head. “No. I haven’t talked to him in a few days. What’s he gonna do?”

“Keep part of it and give the rest to us.” He smiled. “Do you know what this means, Cas?”

“What?”

“That with your money and your brother’s besides what we as a Pack make, we’ll be the most prosperous Pack in the country.”

Castiel nodded. “Probably even more when Gabe gets finished with the finances. He’s always been a whiz kid with the numbers.”

“Been there,” Dean said to him.

They dropped the younger kids off at their respective schools and then headed for the high school. Charlie looked at her best friend. “Do you feel any different?”

“What do you mean?” Dean asked as Cas pulled into the high school parking lot.

“You’re mated now. Do you feel any different?”

Dean looked at Cas and shrugged. “Not really,” he smiled at his Alpha. Actually he did feel different but they didn’t need to know that. He felt grounded, happy, content. He felt loved. And that wasn’t all because of the multiple orgasms or the being told every time the man climaxed or when they were cuddling. He felt it in the way Cas looked at him, touched him and spoke to him.

They all slipped out of the van. Cas put his bag on his shoulder, took Dean’s hand, threading their fingers. Dean shifted his own bag and walked into school with everyone. They walked to the locker they were officially sharing as husbands and grabbed their books for first period. As they stood talking to Jo and Charlie, Hannah, Meg and Balthazar walked up.

“Where were you?” Hannah asked.

Cas finished what he was saying and looked at the girls. “What?”

“Where were you?” Meg asked.

“What do you care?” Jo asked defensively.

“Jo,” Castiel said firmly. He dropped his hand to Dean’s hip as the Omega leaned into him. “Well, I wasn’t here Monday, because I was finishing the seventy-two hour mating period with my husband. Then Tuesday we weren’t here because we were exhausted.” He looked at his 3 former friends. “I am now a full-fledged member of Arcadia, Dean’s husband and Alpha and in line to become Head Alpha.”

Meg scoffed. She glared at Dean. “What do you got on him, Winchester? The friend I remember wouldn’t have--”

“If you think even for a moment that I can tell Cas anything then you don’t know him as well as you claim because everyone who knows him knows that he doesn’t do anything he doesn’t wanna do.” He looked at them smugly. “And trust me he wanted it all.”

Castiel laughed and caressed Dean’s hip.

“Eww!” Hannah murmured. “That’s disgusting!”

“But so true,” Charlie told them. “I was at the wedding. Trust me, he wanted to do it.”

Dean looked at the clock that hung in the hall. He turned to Cas and kissed him deeply. “I gotta go. Promised Benny I’d help him with his math.” He kissed him again. “I love you.”

“I love you. See you in class.”

Dean walked off and Cas grabbed his book and closed his locker. He exhaled. “Look, guys, this petty bullshit of you’re better than shifters isn’t gonna fly with me anymore. I’m a shifter. One of my brother’s is a shifter. My husband, little brother and my entire pack are shifters so you just remember you insult them, you’re insulting me and if you insult me then we weren’t friends, were we?”

“Cas, you can’t be serious!” Hannah exclaimed.

“Very. I’m not ashamed of what I am or my position in my life now. I got a family, best friends and a guy who loves me. That’s all I’m gonna need in my life.”

He walked away with Jo and Charlie beside him.

* * *

Jo laughed as she came down the hall with Charlie. Charlie was joyfully telling her about what had happened in her computer class when they both heard a loud clattering thud. They turned their heads to see Balthazar having Dean pinned—face into the locker—and was attempting to do something to him from the view from their angle. Charlie looked at Jo. “I’m gonna go get Cas.”

Jo nodded.

Charlie took off running as Cas came around the corner with Benny. “Dude, your husband’s been manhandled and shit by your former friend.”  
Cas went around Charlie and stopped for a second when he seen the scene they had seen.

Dean groaned as his face was pressed into the locker again. He fought as the British Douchebag attempted to undo his pants. “Get off me!” he yelled.

“No. You and your Omega sex took my best friend so we’ll see how your Alpha likes it when he can smell another Alpha on--”

The Alpha never got to finish the sentence as he was pushed off Dean and slammed hard into the wall. Cas glared at him and put pressure on his throat, his eyes completely Alpha red. “Give me one good reason why the fuck I shouldn’t snap your neck dead here and now, Goodman?”

He groaned. “Castiel, you wouldn’t--”

He pressed harder and Balthazar felt his airway closing. He coughed. “Cas...I can’t...br...breathe!”

“Good,” he yelled. “Touch him again and I will kill you without blinking an eye, are we clear?”

“Y...Y...yes!”

He pushed off him and walked to Dean. His beautiful blues coming back. He looked at Dean. “You okay, Baby?”

He nodded. “I think so.” He wiped a tear away as he buckled his pants. “Cas, I didn’t...I didn’t...”

“I know you didn’t, Sweetheart.” He kissed his forehead, his cheeks and then his mouth in a loving kiss.

“He kept saying he was going to mark me because then you wouldn’t want me--”

He was reeling, it really scared him. Dean took his face in his hands and kissed him again. “Dean, Baby, look at me.”

He looked into his eyes. “I’m sorry--”

“Let me speak, please.” He smiled and kissed his nose. “I love you. I’m sorry that I wasn’t in the hall to help you, but what he did was all but rape, Dean. If something like that ever happens to you—which it won’t—then I will still love you as much as, if not more than I do already.”

Dean hugged him, clinging to him. “I wanna go home, please, Alpha.”

He nodded. “Okay. Let’s go, Baby.”

* * *

Henry nodded as he listened to the counsel as they expressed their opinions on the upcoming punishment that was going to come down on the Novak family for abusing both of their youngest sons for being shifters. He was happy with their decision. They were going to be in an Alpha labor prison for the next 10 to 15 years.

Next up was his son’s punishment for treating Dean as an object for sale.

“Now, the next order of business is...John Eric Winchester’s punishment.” Vince Walker, Gordon’s father said. “As we all know he’s been punished within the Pack itself and Henry, High Alpha of the Arcadia Pack will inform us of said punishment.”

Henry cleared his throat. “I have pulled all his privileges as the future High Alpha and member of the High Alpha Family. The one that has agreed and taken on the role well is my newly minted grandson-in-law Castiel Novak—now Winchester.”

“All right, opening it now for our punishment,” William said. “As you know I also reported John’s behavior after he did what he’s done.” He exhaled. “And as much as this pains me to say I think he needs to be exiled. His behavior afterwards is what’s pushed me to this decision.”

They all nodded and began discussions to whether agree or disagree. At the end of the meeting they decided that they would follow through with William’s suggestion and also to have the Novaks picked up and quickly put into the Alpha Prison.

When Arcadia Security got to the Novak Residence the entire family had left and now were in the wind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that is the end of the first installment. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I have writing it. Hope to see you for the next story. 
> 
> AUTHOR'S NOTE: I know I promised other stories, but until I get more stories off my plate and everything it will be awhile before I do another one of these. I'm sorry, guys. Hope you check back in.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Kudos are always welcome.


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